Lightis
by Eel Nivek
Summary: A collection of Lightis one-shots. Dedicated to various members of the community. R&R
1. Anastasia

for **Kingu**, who loves dark Noctis, big time  
>for <strong>Fishcake-kun<strong>, who's my muse that inspired me to write eloquently  
>for <strong>marchenne<strong>, who knows what it's like to have something stolen  
>for <strong>TigerRaiken<strong>, whose helpful advice was to "just write"

A/N: Dark

* * *

><p><strong>Anastasia<br>**by _Eel Nivek_

• • • • • •

This was it. There was no turning back. The crude, black night, absent of stars, only appeared once a century. If she didn't take this opportunity now, she'd forfeit all hopes of ever escaping her husband's cruel grasps. The ancient clock read a quarter till midnight. By now, her _husband's_ household was enveloped in an aura of artificial sleep. With the help of her maid, she had managed to create sleeping concoctions, disguised as drinks.

Steadily, she grabbed only what was dearest to her: a necklace, a pouch, and a ring. She gently eased herself out her husband's bed, heart furiously pounding in fear that her spouse would wake at any moment and foil her plans of escape. If he knew what she was plotting, he would not be kind or tender, he never was _anymore_; the man she had once loved, the man who had conquered her cold heart was merely a specter hidden deeply within her conservative mind. No, that soft, affectionate man had been erased from existence, replaced with a power craving fiend, who flaunted her "_luscious"_ form to his subjects, and sneered at her _"compassionate"_ heart.

Yet looking down at her husband, lost in his sleep, she saw _him_; the one she loved, the one who had earnestly pursued and thawed her icy heart. He was the one who taught her to trust, love, and yield. Her teacher. Her one love. Their love was legendary. So where did they go wrong? A lone tear slid down her dry cheek in remembrance of the past.

It was ridiculous—ironic, even. She, who once held the reputation of being the _most_ formidable woman in the Demon court, had fallen for him, the frail, flimsy heir to the Demon throne, the guardian and ruler of the last Crystal.

Even now she remembered how he brazenly tried to court her...

**xxx**

The sight of his scrawny and puny physique, and the way he presented himself with an air of childish arrogance was amusing. He tried to woo her, complimenting her _"nice ass." _It was a genuine attempt; of course, she had sent him scampering with his ego entirely trashed.

But he didn't stop. Every function, gala, soiree, he was there, without fail, waiting to win her over. When words failed, he used actions. Over time, after years of outright rejecting all of his advances, she _noticed_ things… abnormal, disturbing things. He started growing, physically and intellectually. His charm tripled; his compliments became rhetorically lewd and sexual. Soon, she found herself fawning over his Godlike frame, stumbling and stuttering over his silver-kissed words, like a naive fan-girl. He knew what effect his words were having and increased his efforts.

Her cheeks still burned whenever she thought of his first perverse effort at exploiting her carnal needs. It was direct, preposterous, but effective nonetheless, _very_ much to her shame. She had been talking to a high-ranking viscount, discussing affairs of the Demon court. When suddenly, out of nowhere, a rough, calloused hand slid down the back of her thin dress, gliding over the enticing curve of her rear, and then up, this time grazing her raw flesh from the inside of her attire. She was completely taken aback by the outrageous public act. It was undoubtedly a Demonic gesture of possessiveness and courtship, the way he held her by the waist, all the while, molesting her.

He wanted her as his woman. He would have no one else as she would soon come to learn. She tried to fight him off that day, using every means possible, but she came to a sad realization… She wanted him _just_ as much as he wanted her. In the end, his persistence had laid siege on her heart; accordingly, she was defeated.

That night, in front of the eyes of many, he whisked her away, carrying her bridal-style, enveloping her in his masculine, sweet scent. He carried her all the way up a thousand flights of imposing stairs, a feat impossible for men, yet elementary for their kind. And not once, did he take his radiant, blue eyes off of her. Her heart never stood a chance.

Only when they reached his grandiose room did he release her. She settled herself into his bed, anxious, but eager at the same time. Despite what the court and many of its ignorant gossips believed, she'd never given herself to a man before. Patiently, she allowed him to take the lead. In terms of sexual prowess and knowledge, he was, by far, her superior. He knew it, yet he didn't flaunt her weakness at her… He gently eased her nerves; first, kissing her anxieties away and claiming her lips passionately and possessively. Unbeknownst to her, he had staked his claim on her. From that night onward, no one would dare to make a move on her. To do so, would be a suicidal fantasy.

Slowly, he started becoming aggressive. He forcefully tore her dress to shreds then kneaded her voluptuous breasts, massaging them until her loins burned with unbearable desire. She cried out, bending over her lover's body, kissing his silky, sable hair. The pleasure was immense as was her desire to have him. Once more, he captured her lips before latching his mouth onto her rosy nipples, sucking them greedily as a child would. By this point, she was beyond sensibility. Her thoughts abandoned her, leaving her light-headed and enhancing the pleasure she received.

She couldn't form any coherent words. The words, that did manage to escape her lips, came out as wanton moans or loud sobs. Pleasure became her only world; her mind and thoughts revolved around it. Try as she might, she couldn't deny that she felt ecstatic, and to encourage her skilled lover, she screamed louder, stirring up his suppressed desire.

Her actions were without fail. He roughly grabbed her by the legs, spreading them apart, revealing the glistening, pink lips of her sex. He held her legs up, forcing her body to arch downwards, directing all of her weight onto her neck. Then, he pressed her lower lips to his face, taking and lapping up her nectarous juices. She screamed out loud, for the entire world to hear, as he repeatedly flicked his hot tongue against her sensitive clit. If Heaven existed on Earth then this was it.

A burning knot formed at the base of her cervix. She was more than ready for him to fill her up. Her thighs tightened in anticipation as he drew his wet face from her core. The sight of his lust-brimmed eyes aroused her to no end. His rugged muscled chest was drenched in sweat—a result of their heated coupling.

However, it was his erection that attracted her attention. She licked her lips hungrily, knowing that, seconds from now, she'd be filled by his monstrous genital. Her body ached for him. He saw this and wasted no time in taking her. He guided his rigid cock to the entrance of her womanhood. Teasingly, he slightly drove the head past her lips, but went no further, causing her to writhe in severe longing. She tried, herself, to sway her hips so that she could enter him, but his hands held her at the waist, immobilizing her. Once again, she cried out at the abuse.

He smiled cruelly, but she could see that he needed her as much as she did. As she could tell, his cock was unbearably stiff.

"P-Please!" She gasped. "Put it in!"

Gladly, he obliged. He wasted no time in impaling her, completely shattering her hymen. She screamed as the force and enormity of his rod tore through her, hitting her womb on the first thrust. She tossed her neck and cried, sending her pink hair flying in disarray. It hurt. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but her lover quickly lapped them away. He reassured her, with tender words, that the pain was temporary whereas the pleasure was forever.

Soon, the pain in her groin receded, extensively drowning her in wave after wave of blazing pleasure. Her walls tightened almost painfully as he gently entered her, again and again. His rod was like a burning spear, searing her insides every time it made contact with her womb. As she began to ease herself into his rhythm, he spun her until she was on her knees. What happened next, she could never have been prepared for.

He pounded her like a potent jackhammer, driving in and out of her, harder and faster. His length was so quick and big that she couldn't even scream or moan. The moment his cock slapped against her slick core, her breath escaped her. She panted as he continued to drill her. Her ample breasts tossed and flailed, colliding with each other, as he hungrily made love to her. Her toes crinkled up as an unexpected chorus of scorching pleasure washed over. Her hips buckled uncontrollably as the loud name of her lover escaped her lips. She came hard and dropped onto the bed, losing control of her entire body. Her feminine fluids gushed out of her clit like a raging river.

She was tired. She lay on the bed, dazed, but he did not relent. He was not satisfied. No, he was far from being satisfied. He had yet to use or explore every inch of her succulent body, and he would give her no rest until he had done so. Kissing his beautiful goddess, he entered her once more despite her weak protests. This time, he loomed over her as she lay on her back. His cock audibly slapped against her glossy sex. All she could do was toss and turn as her lover pounded away. She was so far lost in a haze of pleasure that her body robotically responded to his touch.

For hours, he explored her divine body. This woman, he knew for certain, was created for him, to mate him, to love him, to_ fuck him_. He would _never_ let her go. She was his. Pulling her legs up, he quickly discovered that her body could accommodate any position he desired. Her years as a commander in the Demon army gave her what other women could only dream of having—strength and flexibility. He had to admit, he was surprised that she was still conscious. Every other woman he fucked passed out after their fourth orgasm, but his lithe lover was on her eighth and counting.

So he decided to experiment. He wanted to see how long she could last. She, on the other hand, had no choice but to service his insatiable sexual needs. He took her _everywhere_, in _every_ position. His gigantic closet was a mess, his shower was soiled, his work table was deprived of its stationery. Overall, his room was the bane of every maid's existence.

Unable to bear the clamp of her firm walls, he sucked in a breath as he poured his hot seed into her womb, filling her up to the very brink and brimming over, spilling onto the bed sheets. She groaned as a lovely, hot sensation poured into her womb. She was satisfied. He smiled, taking great pleasure in the distant, exhausted look in her eyes. She had matched his stamina. He was finally tired and pleasantly satiated. He would let her sleep, a reward for being the first to fully satisfy his erotic needs. She was worthy of him and so much more; she would be mother of his children.

Seeing as his lover was now fast asleep, he toyed with her hair. As sleep started to overtake him, he grazed his fangs against her shoulders, and broke the skin, drawing blood. It was done. She was officially his. He had marked her for the whole world to see. On that very night, he, the Demon king, had taken a mate. Fatigued, he wrapped his arms around her petite body, guarding her protectively. Never, for a second, would he let any harm befall her. She was his delicate prize…

Or so he believed…

**xxx**

There was no time to waste. Kissing the forehead of her former love, she fled the palace. Both their lives would be better without each other. She would be freed from his abuse, and he would be freed from his sins. Most of all they would be freed from the lingering ghost of their _unborn_ child, Ana, who never stood a chance. A cursed child—their cursed child—who never knew a mother's love or a father's pride.

Outside, her faithful, young attendant and maid, Rosette waited patiently for her under the thick cover of darkness. The guards, those that weren't intoxicated, were patrolling the enormous perimeter of her husband's palace.

"Rosette!" She called out as quietly as possible.

"Lady Lightning," the young maid gasped. Her eyes were still adjusting to the foreboding night. "Please follow me. I've arranged for a vehicle to take you across the border once you make your way out of the palace."

Holding the maid to her word, she trailed after her attendant, stopping every now and then at hints of irregular activity. For the most part, the journey out of the palace was effortless. Not once were they approached by her husband's elite Demon guard, a special division that she had once headed, which was unusual, considering they were all highly trained assassins and trackers.

She paid that detail no attention. If luck was on her side then she would not curse it. Making haste, she crossed the ceramic bridge over a pond, which she had insisted on installing. As they reached the other side, they stopped. Standing on duty, with his or her back to them, was an elite guard equipped with several dozen hidden weapons. Without hesitation, she grabbed a syringe from Rosette's arsenal and snuck up on the guard. With the grace of a commander, she pounced, covering his lips with one hand and injecting the syringe into his neck with the other. He would wake in an hour, remembering nothing.

Rosette immediately slid her access card into the secret entryway. The maid had to do it for her. Her husband had robbed her of all means of escape; even going so far as barricading her in their room whenever he was away. For a man who insisted she was nothing, but "trash," an "eyesore," her husband had gone through extreme lengths to keep her caged in his palace. One would think, he would have ended her life or sent her into exile if she was so "atrocious."

They crossed through the door and stepped into the forest's dense foliage. Crickets chirped. Wild nocturnal animals peered at them curiously from their nests. The atmosphere was so much more animated and merry compared to the atmosphere in her husband's palace.

As expected, an obsidian limousine was waiting for them. Her maid approached the driver carefully, not wanting to walk into a setup and asked for clearance. Once satisfied, Rosette called her over and gently aided her into the back seat. The door closed; she frowned.

"Rosette come with me," she urged. If her maid stayed, she would definitely be killed, tortured, for playing a role in her escape.

"I cannot," her maid insisted. She shook her head warily. "It is my duty to serve the Caelum household. Although my primary task is to assist you in all of your pursuits, I cannot disobey the laws that established my standing in society. This will be the last time we see each other… My lady… It was a pleasure to be of service to you."

"Rosette…"

"Please go, and with haste before the young master awakes! Time is of the essence!"

Rolling up the murky windows, she commanded the driver to take off. She didn't look back at the fading figure of her maid. She would shed no tears. Who would she cry for? Rosette would be fine… She had to hope.

"Driver, ETA?" She inquired, testing his military acumen.

"Six hours," came his curt reply. "_Approximately_."

Good, he knew how to properly phrase his response; he was someone who could be trusted. Closing her eyes, without a single care in the world, she slept.

**xxx**

"Noctis…" She frowned, afflicted by the way her husband was stressed out from his diplomatic meeting with minor Demon groups. Perhaps now was not the right time.

"What is it, love?" He replied, unconsciously using his chilling, king's voice.

"Ana kicked me again… Do you want to talk to her?"

"I would love to."

She sighed contently as her husband placed both his warm hands on her swollen stomach. He closed his eyes and whispered words of love to their unborn daughter. Though physically, the father and daughter pair had not established links; mentally, they were inseparable. She could tell that he loved their daughter by the way he charmed Ana, the same way he had charmed her.

A slight pang of jealously filled her heart. She didn't know why, but she was mildly irritated at the uneven distribution of attention. Whenever they were together, her husband always directed his attention towards Ana. It shouldn't have bothered her. It was shameful, unheard of… a mother envious of her daughter?

Seeing the aggravated expression on his wife's face, Noctis smiled, knowing exactly what she was thinking. His graceful, elegant queen was envious of her princess. It was too adorable. He made sure to remedy the situation.

"Love you're doing it again," he whispered into her ear, licking the lobe playfully.

"D-Doing w-what?"

"Worrying."

"I most certainly am _not_!"

"How many times must I tell you, silly woman? You will always be my Queen, my counterforce, my inseparable other half, my unending pride, my eternal life. Ana is our daughter, _our _creation. Without you, she would never have come into existence. So cease this nonsense, love. Although I admit, you're absolutely adorable when you're envious, jealously doesn't suit your exquisite persona."

"Don't take that arrogant tone with me, idiot husband!" She blushed angrily, turning ten shades a bit too red. "Don't try to charm me with your silver-tongue."

"If my words have no effect then perhaps… my actions will…"

"W-What are y—! Mmph!"

He fisted the back of her hair softly and pulled her lips to his, claiming them in a heavy kiss. Taking her by the tongue, he reminded her exactly who it was that she belonged to. Gods, she was absolutely delicious. There was no way in Hell he'd ever tire of her. As he continued to ravish his delicate spouse, he a felt slight movement knick him in the abdomen; the gesture, he sensed, was full of rage. Oh dear… It seemed he really did have two delectable women vying for his attention.

"Have you learned your lesson?" He prodded, pinching his wife's smooth cheeks. It was a condescending gesture, that she normally would have castrated him for, luckily, he escaped without any injuries.

Pregnancy had made her soft. She merely turned her head, sticking her chin up in an elegant pose. He would get no response from her. No he would not… that wicked, manipulative, gorgeous man, whom she called husband. If he even so much as dared to tease her again, the whole palace would ignite into an inferno of flames.

A light knock on the door interrupted their moment. Her husband snarled bitterly, marching over to the door with the grace of an adept king. He flung it open and confronted the fool who had the insolence to intrude on his _session_ with his queen. On the other side of the door stood a frightened squire, a young boy in his early teenage years. The boy delivered the message, announcing that another meeting was in way and that his presence was required.

Agitated, he sent the boy away. Watching the brooding look on his lover's face, he contemplated whether to stay or go. In the end, his sense of duty won. He left his gorgeous queen alone to her devices, abandoning her on their massive bed. The sight of her lean, petite body dwarfed by the size of their bed was a pitiful sight. She was distressed to see him leave. It took every ounce of his discipline to leave the room. Had he been any weaker, he would have run back into her arms and taken her, smothering her with his love.

Seeing her husband go, she felt wistful. He had been with her, only seconds ago, yet she missed him. What was she to do? She couldn't go a minute without him. Should she sleep? She always slept, lazing her precious time away. No, she wouldn't sleep. She sat upright, pressing up against the head rest, and hummed a light tune to her daughter. Focused on her bond with Ana, she didn't notice the shadowy figure arising from the corner of the room. By the time she did… it was too late.

She could only turn, shielding her child, before the piercing tip of a barbed blade tore through her back, impaling her against the wall. Blood, her blood, sloshed against the dark walls, painting a gruesome, nightmarish image. Her insides and tissues were shred to bits. The pain was unbearably excruciating. For the longest time, she thought she died.

She wished she had.

**xxx**

"My lady we have arrived at the destination," the chauffeur informed, lowering the division doors.

Clutching her burning chest, she gasped as her lungs prickled. _A dream_? _No_, it was a memory sealed deep within her that had resurfaced—the cause and origin of her husband's abhorrence for her. Brushing her wet bangs aside, she pushed open the door and exited the vehicle. A plain, wooden hut, enveloped in green foliage, stood at the center of what appeared to be a small human village.

Her driver left, completing his assigned task, leaving her with no one but herself. She was free. No more would she cringe from the malicious presence of her husband. No more would she lower her head in fear of being observed or punished. Now was the time to heal, a time to restore her physical strength and mental fortitude; she would no longer trust the advances of men. She had opened up her fragile heart, only to have it crushed to pieces, and in pieces, her heart would remain…

Following the instructions that her maid had given her, she strolled towards the hut silently, staying as inconspicuous as possible. Inside, the hut was old, beaten and dark. The corners were strewn with dusty, ancient cobwebs. Small critters and insects scuffled frantically as her imposing presence filled the room. A nasty breeze fluttered into the room through the non-existent windows. Everything about this hut was hideous; it was similar to a setting, in a horror film, where exorcisms and murders frequently occurred. She would have to spend a great deal of her time refurbishing this run-down hell-hole, but that was fine.

Since she had no belongings to unload, she circled the crammed the hut, eagerly looking for spare items she could use in repairing her new abode. If anything, she could resort to asking the human inhabitants in this village. The sun was rising in lieu of the coming day, which meant the village would be bustling with life. The human village was by no means isolated. That much, she discerned from the footprints and dusty car tracks on the road.

Of course, what she really had to do was alter her appearance. It would do no one any good if she waltzed out in her Demon glory, her trademark pink hair and all. Even humans, as lowly and uncultured as they were, would be able to tell who she was. After all, her husband was sovereign over both the demon and human races. Only a fool or a child would not know what sort of entity the dread-inspiring archfiend, Noctis _Lucis_ Caelum was.

Calmly setting herself on her bed, which creaked even under the stress of her light weight, she closed her eyes and focused on the image of herself in the form of a human. Common human characteristics were comprised of certain looks—black eyes, black hair, light skin. She slowly recited a transformation spell that demons often used to conceal some of their prominent features such as skin marks or tails. Once finished, she grabbed a piece of broken glass off the windowsill and examined her reflection. With the exception of her emerald colored eyes, her appearance had changed. Her hair was no longer a lustrous pink, but a dusky black. Her skin no longer carried its creamy, childlike pale tone, but had a sun-kissed tan instead.

Pleasantly surprised by the results of her first transformation, she stretched her limbs before exiting her little hut. The first thing she had to do was procure clothes. Although comfortable, her flimsy, beige chemise was definitely unsuited for everyday tasks. She didn't pack because doing so would only have stirred up suspicion. She didn't have to walk very far until she came to an open-air market, which was teeming with customers and vendors.

She entered the small shop of a human cloth merchant. Glancing at her state of dress, the shopkeeper, a middle-aged man, eyed her warily as if she were some beggar, even worse, a thief.

"Please do not touch anything you cannot afford," he requested rudely.

Smiling lightly, she pranced around the room, taking various dresses, shirts, pants, and shoes off of the racks. Depositing the heavy stash of clothing onto the countertop, she waited for the shopkeeper to give her a sum. The merchant eyed irritably as if he believed she couldn't afford a single thing; therefore, would have go through the trouble of re-hanging the items. Better yet, he sneered at the fact that she had chosen so many expensive clothes and was attempting to buy out nearly the whole store.

"The total comes to…" he paused for an unnecessary dramatic effect. "A _hundred thousand_ Gil." His pudgy eyes widened at the mere mention of the amount. If by some gracious act of lady luck this transaction was completed, he would have more this day than he had in the past two years combined!

Pulling out a pouch that she always kept with her, she fumbled around and took out one of many, _many_ precious stones that she had. The minute she did, the shopkeeper's eyes bulged out of their sockets. It seemed he had keen eyes for valuable materials.

"T-That's a platinum ingot!" He sputtered like an idiot.

"Yes I can see that."

"Those are worth a hundred and fifty thousand Gil!"

"I am aware of that… Are you going to stare at me all day? I can go elsewhere if I'm bothering you."

"NO! B-But… I don't have any change!"

"I don't care. Just hand me the clothing and you can keep what's left over."

"Really? My lady that is _very_ generous of you! Is there anything that you might possibly require? Anything, at all!"

"Yes, I would like bags for all of these."

Exchanging the tiny mineral for the large bundle of clothing, she left the clothing store, reinserting herself into the busy crowd. Walking through a swarm of busy people, she received quite a bit of astonished stares. She had to admit she looked quite ridiculous, carrying a dozen shopping bags more than a human woman could ever attempt to. Moving further into the marketplace, she came to a chain of food stands. Suddenly, the mixture of foul aromas overwhelmed her senses. She cringed, dropping her bags as her stomach churned unpleasantly. She rushed over to the nearest bush and gagged, puking out everything she had digested in the past few hours. She was light-headed and dizzy. Her knees buckled weakly while she tried to steady herself. People eyed her warily, but she didn't care.

This foreboding feeling… She hadn't felt it since… Since, she was pregnant with Ana… But that was impossible… The palace healers said she would never be able to bear children again! But there was no denying it. Everything about her body's current condition proclaimed that she was carrying a child. But how was this possible… Better yet, _why_?

** xxx**

Where was she?

She slowly opened her eyes and found herself chained in an array of casts and bandages. Her throat was unbearably dry; she had gone too long without water. Testing to see the limits of her restraints, she hissed as searing pain racked her abdomen. Her stomach felt as if it had just been sewn together after being cut into pieces.

A palace healer walked into her ward with a grave look on his face. He settled himself beside her bed and observed her quietly.

"How are you feeling my lady?" He inquired softly, loosening some of her bandages.

"I don't know… What happened?"

"You've been out for quite some time now, a month to be exact. You're very lucky to be alive after taking that blade to your lungs."

A blade? _NO!_ She thrashed wildly as her memories came back to her. _Ana!_ S-She… She couldn't feel the presence of her precious daughter.

"NO!" She shrieked. _Please! _"NO!" It couldn't be… WHY? She buried her face against the pillow, attempting to suffocate herself. Anything was better than this. She would rather die than face the shame of losing her own child. _Oh Ana forgive me!_

"I-I-lost her..?"

"I'm very sorry my lady. There was no way she could have been saved. By the time your husband realized that assassins had infiltrated the palace, it was too late. We found you snared against the wall. Your daughter was gone."

"N-No… It can't be!" She closed her eyes and tore at her hair. "A-Ana was… Ana… Oh God please don't do this to me. _PLEASE!_"

Sobs racked her unstable body. The sad truth hit her like a bullet train. Ana was dead. It was all her fault! If she only she had kept her guard up! Tears rolled down her moist cheeks. She was unfit to be a mother, and she would never be; her body would never be capable of baring children again. She screamed against her pillow, beating it as if it was an embodiment of her problems. Cold tears continued to pour out of her lifeless eyes. Her grief persisted, but body gave way to exhaustion. Lying on the bed, she wondered if she was just trapped in a horrendous illusion. _Perhaps she'd wake up and Ana would be okay! _No…

She stayed like that, lifeless and cold for hours, until an ominous presence occupied the room. Standing by the bedside was the shadowy figure of her husband. She gasped as her eyes focused on the repulsive _objects_ he held in his hands. _Heads._ Unrecognizable, decayed heads that spewed cascades of ruby, red blood from their detached joints. She gagged at the unbearable stench of decay, but her husband disregarded her distress, pressing them to her. She wanted to tell him to stop, but her senses overwhelmed her.

"Look," he stated. His voice was emotionless. "Aren't they lovely? They're the ones who took Ana from us… Do you want to know how I killed them?"

_No! Don't…_ She pleaded silently.

"Let me tell you. I herded them, one by one, like little sheep. I captured all of them, along with their kin, children and all. The five that had been involved in the scheme, I tied against the walls. I pried their eyes open with nails, forcing them to watch as I slit the unblemished throats of their children and lovers. It felt wonderful, hearing them scream like little bitches. I relished in their pathetic squeals. They begged me to stop like the desperate worms they were, but I didn't… No, they robbed me of the one thing that was dearest to me… Ana. I cut their fingers off, then their legs. They fell to the floor, flopping like helpless fish. And then, I killed them."

He laughed maniacally.

In the light of the moon's ray, she saw her husband's frightening irises. His eyes weren't their normal, gentle blue; they were red. This man wasn't her husband. No, her husband was never this irrational.

"Stop!" She sobbed.

"Stop? STOP?"

He seized her by the throat, choking her roughly, and smiled. "You wanted this didn't you? You let them kill Ana, isn't that right? You stupid, envious bitch!" He slammed her against the bed brutally. The impact nearly knocked her out. Seeing the malicious, red glint in her husband's eyes, she was frightened for the first time in her life. He was really going to kill her.

_Stop! Noctis please! _She tried to say, but his powerful grip was crushing her windpipes. Her body was extremely weak and frail from both her pregnancy and the sword wound. In any other situation, she could have easily fended him off. In terms of battle prowess, she was quicker and lighter. She had beaten him many times in mock battles, though he rarely tried. Desperate, she clawed at her husband's wrists, trying to pry them off of her bruised throat. The lack of air made her light-headed. If she didn't take action then she would surely die. She did the only thing she could do. She brushed her hand against his cold cheek. It was something she always did to calm his nerves.

The effect was instantaneous. As if she had just dispelled an ancient curse, he staggered backwards, dropping the decapitated heads. His face scrunched up into a guilty snarl. Before she could call out to him, he vanished.

**xxx**

_"NO!"_

His heart lurched painfully. Bittersweet splatters of blood glossed over every inch of the room. Pinned up against the wall, hanging on the sheer edge of death, was the colorless figure of his wife. His eyes burned furiously. He rushed over to his pale lover and pulled the blade from her stomach. Blood poured out of the wound, but she would survive. Her demon traits were already in effect, sealing the foul cut. However, it was impossible to know if her body would ever recover. How could he let such a thing happen?

"Light _love._ Wake up, please!" He begged.

There was no response. His lovely wife remained still, eyes closed, mouth shut. Promptly, a group of healers rushed into the room. They took her from his cold arms, wisely disregarding his ignorant orders to leave her with him and transported her to the palace's medical ward. As he watched the healers cast cures on his wife, a veteran healer approached him woefully.

"Young master… There's no easy way to say this. You're daughter... I'm afraid… didn't make it. There was no way we could have saved her. The minute the blade entered Lady Lightning's abdomen, she died…"

_What's this..? _He laughed, unable to comprehend the madness behind the healer's words. It wasn't true. This couldn't be happening. Light had been expecting Ana in a couple of weeks. There was no way she could be gone! He clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palm and drawing blood. An urge to kill, murder, manifested deep within him.

_"I can help you find them."_

He stood, clutching his head.

_"If you let me, I can murder the men, who assaulted your wife and succeeded in their efforts to kill your daughter. I can find them, you know that. Just let me in."_

"NO!"

_"Come on. Don't be a fool. You don't have the strength or heart to kill. That wench you call your wife has made you soft; you've become a prissy milksop. Return to me, and I'll promise you the heads of those who murdered your daughter."_

It was such a tempting offer… Maybe… Just maybe.

_"Yes, that's better. Accept me, let me into your body once more. Become the man you've always neglected to be. Become the Demon King!"_

"Get out of my head!"

_"No. I will always be a part of you as long as you live. There is no way you can get rid of me."_

"I don't trust you."

_"Hn, trust is for the weak. You should be honored to be my vessel."_

"No. I won't ever use you again. You lied to me."

_"Aww… Did I hurt poor Nocty's feelings? You can't still be mad about that, can you? After all, we both know you wanted those kids dead. They bullied you, all I did was give you a push. You would have slaughtered them regardless."_

"No…"

_"Let me in. Use me. I exist for a reason—to fulfill your desires. Do you really want your daughter's death to go in vain? Will you be able to sleep at night, knowing that your daughter's merciless killers are still alive, basking in the light of their achievements? You've become weak Noctis. Years ago, you wouldn't have hesitated."_

Noctis paused, weighing his options.

"Fine."

"_Yes! That's better."_

He didn't care anymore. At that moment, nothing mattered to him than revenge. His sole desire was to gain retribution for the crimes committed against him.

"Wait."

_"What is it?"_

"Don't you dare touch Light. I'll swear on flames of Gehenna that I'll send you to Hell myself, if you do."

_"I wouldn't dream of it…"_

Immediately, his body burned, erasing his mind of his senses. The veteran healer, who had been watching his silent, mental interaction, addressed him warily.

"My lord, are you feeling well?"

He nodded, baring his newly shaped fangs. He opened his eyes, and for the first time, saw the world through the lens of a bloody kaleidoscope. Freedom had never felt so delicious. For so long, he, the Demon King, had been trapped inside this body, a slave to his softer half. Now that he was free, the world was his for the razing. He would start by destroying the ones, who had dared to touch what was _his._ He closed his eyes, concentrating on locating his victims. With a flicker of his fingers and a poisonous smile to prophesize his actions, he travelled through the shadows of his kingdom until he came to a collection of mansions.

The sheep were already lined up for the slaughter. With a mere movement of his lips, he blew up the doors to the buildings, showering the insides with debris. He wasted no time capturing everyone in his sight. No children or women were spared. He grabbed them by the necks and harvested them like crops, gathering them at the center of the room. They screamed, wailed, sobbed like whimpering cowards.

They cried for their caretakers, and the demons came, rushing towards their loved ones. Not once did they consider the fact that they were advancing into their graves. He rounded them up like a herd of cattle. He disarmed and destroyed each one of the assailants, snapping all eight joints in their bodies. They screamed like children as he nailed them to the walls, forcing them to watch weakly. And then, as they watched, weak-spirited, he killed their loved ones. He impaled and butchered them without remorse. When he was finished, he laughed sadistically at the pathetic sight of the grown men crying their eyes out with snot oozing down their noses. Now they knew how he felt, how anguished and heartbroken he was.

He turned, ending their lives with a mere gesture of his hands and faded from the gory scene.

_Rest in peace, Ana._

**xxx**

Three months.

That was how long it took her to recover control of her body—her upper body. For now, she was constrained to a wheelchair. Her legs remained paralyzed, and the healers continued to do all that was possible to cure her paralysis.

Three months.

That was also how long it had been since she had last seen her husband. From what she had heard from the nurses, her husband was a phantom that stalked the halls at night with terrifying, ruby eyes that glimmered in the dark. He wasn't the same was what the servants said. Not once had he come to her bedside to soothe her distress over losing Ana. So she decided it was her move to make; she would be the one to confront him.

She tediously wheeled her way to her husband's room located on the fourth floor. She knew something was seriously wrong as she got there. The door was slightly ajar, and the disturbing sounds that came from their room devastated her heart.

_No…_ Not after Ana… Not this… It was too much to take.

Heart in her throat, she weakly pushed the door, hoping that the Gods would have mercy on her unstable mind, but the Gods didn't exist. Not today at least. She watched, with bleeding eyes, as her husband ruthlessly fucked another woman on their wedding bed. He took the woman like a savage beast, pounding and grinding her into the bed, causing it the creak under the pressure of their sinful mating.

Unable to tolerate the act any longer, she choked. Her husband stopped what he was doing immediately and turned. Seeing her traumatized state, he smirked callously. He walked towards her, bare-naked, with those same, unnerving red eyes. His face soon became a mask devoid of emotion, stoic and cold.

"W-Why?" She sobbed.

"Why?" He reiterated incredulously, making light of her serious meltdown. "You of all people should know. You're worthless that's why. You can't produce any more children, you've become a useless cripple, and you murdered _my _daughter. Need I say more? It's only fitting that I procure a more, how should I put it, _able _female to suit me."

"That's bullshit! Noctis, what's wrong with you? You'd never say that to me!"

"Yes… I would never say that to _you—_the court's most cherished demoness, but that's the thing. You're not _you_. All I see before my eyes is a defective woman, who's lived way past her prime. You're a lingering shadow of the woman you used to be. You've outlived your usefulness."

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" She screamed.

"Look at you. It's absolutely pitiful to see how low a woman with your capabilities has fallen."

"Give me my husband back, you monster!"

"Your husband?" He grabbed her by the chin. "What makes you think that I'd be_ your _husband? Who the hell would want to be tied to you?"

"Stop it! S-Stop. _Stop_. STOP!"

"Oh, you think this all a big nightmare, don't you?" He narrowed his eyes. "Well, let me show you how _real _this is."

In one fluid, unpredictable movement, he struck her across the cheek. The force of his strike was so severe that she fell out her chair and came crashing onto the cold floor. She clutched her swollen left cheek and tried to salve the burning sting.

"This is reality, and that's _exactly_ how much you mean to me. I can't kill you; it's not allowed. What's more, I can't mate with another female. However, if you just happen to take your own pitiful life, well, that's another story."

Panting raggedly, unable to open her left eye, she dropped her head against the floor.

"Look at you," he continued to taunt. "You can't even fight back! This is how disgustingly weak you've become. With a woman like you for a mother, it's no wonder Ana died. Tell me, did you bare your stomach at the assassins? Did you put up any effort to protect her?"

_Of course I did!_ She wanted to scream. Instead, she remained silent. Her body was so exhausted, mentally and physically, from _everything_.

"N-Noctis… _please_."

"You sound pathetic. It's sickening really, the way you continue to beg like a peasant. I expected a lot more from the woman, who I chose to be my Queen. The title of _Queen_ is unfit to be yours now. From now on, you'll be my mate in title, but merely a slave to my needs."

"That's right. I'll introduce you to my new mistress once she awakes from our _lovely_ coupling. Unlike you, she can _actually_ use her legs for a pleasurable purpose. But then again, you can't use your legs at all, can you?"

"Noctis… I love you…"

"What?"

"I love you! _Please, _come back to me."

Her words served their purpose. He shrieked loudly, clutching his head with both of his hands. His eyes flickered blue and red as his conscience fought for control. "I won't let you take it BACK!"

Observing her husband's torment, she prayed silently for him to return. She could only watch as his body slumped, unmoving. The air was eerily quiet for the few, long minutes that the two were locked in their mental battle. Finally, he stirred awake.

He slowly lifted his head, "I'm sorry Light… I'm so sorry love… I can't believe I did this to you…"

_Was it really possible?_

"Noctis it's you—"

"—is what you'd want me to say right?" He laughed, shaking violently. His eyes were still red, atrociously red. "Did you really think I was going to go away? No, I'm here to stay, _love_."

She shook her head to deny it. It couldn't be…

**xxx**

For months, she continued to stay by her husband's side, despite how horribly he treated her. The reason she stayed was that she had hope. Hope that one day her kind, gentle husband would return. Even though that seemed impossible, at the moment, she couldn't afford to give up. Not after all of the suffering she had endured.

At present, she was confined in her room with guards watching her every single second of the day. What was worse, her room was next to her husband's. Every night, without fail, he would bring to his bed a different woman, and make infuriating love to her. Each woman would scream his name throughout the night, robbing her of her sleep and taking from her, her tears. He did this to torment her—to make her concede.

Her confidence started to waver. She cried herself to sleep every night. The strong soldier within her no longer existed. She started to doubt her actions and doubt her worth. If her husband, who had so dedicatedly loved her, despised her, who would love her? It was just as he said; she was a lingering shadow of the woman she used to be. Consequently, due to her imprisonment, her appearance faded. Her rare beauty, which had been unparalleled, lost its luster and appeal. Her strong, lean frame, which had been the envy of every demoness, lost its tone.

She thought her life could never get worse.

Until she met _him_.

On that day, she had been walking through the palace gardens, an action her husband had surprisingly permitted. There was a party that day. In order to stay away from the public, as her husband had ordered, she sought refuge with the plants she had once cared for. She sat by the pond, in the middle of the cold night, and stared at the moon's beautiful reflection. It was so pretty, full of life, unlike her. She slipped one hand into the water and sighed.

"Hi there!"

She jumped and quickly pulled her hand back, shielding it against her chest.

"Who are you?" She questioned the young demon boy. She was quite angry that her privacy had been so easily intruded upon. How long had he been standing there, watching her as if she were some object to fawn over?

By the looks of it, he was no older than a teenager. He reminded her of Noctis, when he had first attempted to court her.

"Name's Coma."

She was taken aback at his total lack of respect. Although it didn't seem so, she was at least a couple decades older than he was. Then again, after she had been stripped of her rank, it wasn't surprising that he didn't know who she was.

"…"

"You know, usually when someone tells you their name, you tell them yours in return. It's only proper etiquette."

"Leave," she hissed. She was in no mood to deal with the woes of an uneducated teenager.

"I'll leave if you give me a kiss! Come on pretty lady, one kiss that's all I ask for!"

The nerve!

"PLEASE? PLEASE?"

"No."

"PLEEEEEAAASEEE."

She continued to ignore the irritating child. Hell would freeze over before she ever locked lips with a child such as him.

"Did I mention you have beautiful eyes?"

"The answer's still no."

"Damn it," he muttered. "Please lady, if you give me a kiss, even a peck on the cheek, I can die happy! I swear, you're so beautiful it hurts to look at you. And I _love _beautiful things! PLEASE."

"Alright!"

"Really?"

"No."

"…"

She smiled lightly. As annoying as he was, the boy also provided her with a small amount of entertainment. To put it simply, he was amusing. He didn't care about pretenses; he was sincere in his interactions with others. She liked that about him. She would have loved to continue tormenting the little boy, but she felt her husband's terrifying aura approaching her quickly and violently. Oh God, he knew!

"Listen Coma!" she whispered frantically. "You have to leave _right_ now! My husband is on his way right now, and he's not a rational person. He'll kill you!"

"Nope," he answered. "Nice try, but I don't buy that. I ain't leavin' until you give me my kiss! Either you do that or I'm going to be your best friend for the next 24 hours."

"Fine!"

She grabbed him by the shoulders and pecked him the cheek, "Now leave!"

"You call that a kiss?" He laughed. Without warning, he seized her by the hair and pulled her towards him, locking his lips to hers. The second he did, he was harshly torn away from her.

"Noctis!" She screamed, horrified by the sight of her blood thirsty husband drowning the young boy. He held the boy by the nape of his neck and held his head under the pond. The boy struggled and thrashed frantically, but his efforts were useless. No one, let alone a child, could match her husband in strength. Unable to tolerate the scene any longer, she used her newly restored legs and tackled her husband. The impact was enough to free the child, but enough to inflict any damage onto her husband.

Let loose, the boy, Coma coughed and tried to crawl away frantically. She did all she could to hold her husband back, pinning him to ground with whatever strength she had left. If she gave in, or slipped even for a second, the boy would surely die by her husband's hands. Sadly, she wasn't strong enough. Her husband tossed her aside like a ragdoll. She could only watch, broken and fatigued, as he hunted the poor teen.

"What do we have here?" He hissed bitterly. "Did you really think you could get away after you touched what is _mine?_

"I d-didn't know, she was your wife! M-M-My lord, I swear on the graves of my ancestors that I really didn't! I-I would not have been so foolish, if I-I knew that she was none other t-than L-Lady Lightning!"

"Bow before me, you insolent child," he commanded. His crimson eyes bled through the darkness, illuminating the night. Using his unique demonic ability to control others through oratory, he forced the boy's head to collide against the ground. The boy's skull cracked agonizingly. He screamed in utter anguish as his head bled.

Lightning sobbed bitterly. It was pathetic. No, she was pathetic. Everyone involved with her died because she was too weak to protect them. She closed her eyes as her husband plucked a Demon blade out of the air. A single stroke was all it took to silence the boy, _forever_.

A tear slid down her cheek. She thought it was over; it was, but not for her. Noctis slammed her onto the floor, pinning her arms above her head with one hand. He quickly undid the laces of her flimsy chemise while she tossed and turned violently. _No! Not like this…_ She didn't want this.

"STOP Noctis! Stop!" She screamed.

"You wanted this didn't you? Did you really think I wouldn't see you kiss that boy? Since you can't seem to live without whoring yourself away, I'll give you what you want. You'd like that, wouldn't you? You degenerate whore."

"You said it yourself, I'm _trash_. Why do I matter to you when you clearly have a collection of willing tramps?"

"That's because you're _my_ worthless trash. That alone gives me the right to do as I see fit. I'm a possessive man, and you'd be a fool to assume that I'd let others touch what's mine."

"I love you," she repeated. She wasn't going to fight him. Let him take her body, he'd never take her heart. That belonged to her _real_ husband.

"Still spouting nonsense about love, I see. You're still the same sentimental woman you were years ago."

She laughed bitterly, "I love you."

He snarled furiously at his failed attempt to break her spirit. No matter, he would have plenty of time to do so. There was no way she could escape his grasp.

"Is that so?" He regained his cool composure. "We'll see how long that lasts."

Without a word, he faded into the night. She finally let loose the sob that she had held back for so long.

"I love you, Noctis…"

_I hate you._

She had to escape.

**xxx**

"Mom?"

"Moooooom."

"MOM!"

Lightning snapped out of her nostalgic trance. The sound of her daughter's frantic voice grabbed her attention. The disgusting scent of burnt toast pervaded throughout the kitchen. Accordingly, two loaves of bread, burnt to black crisps, popped out of the smoking toaster.

"Oh no," She groaned. "Sweetheart, it looks like I won't be able to make you anything for breakfast. We're also out of milk and cereal."

"It's fine mom! I'm just glad you're okay. You kind of freaked me out right there," her daughter replied, tying her shoes and stuffing her school supplies into her backpack. "You just stopped all of a sudden. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay. Just spaced out, that's all."

"What time is it?"

"8:40! You're going to miss the bus if you don't hurry!"

"Wah! I gotta go!"

Her daughter bolted out the door and rushed through the yard.

"Ana!" She called after.

Ana stopped, brushing aside her golden hair that she had inherited from her grandfather. She was by no means a petite girl. Like her mother, she was both tall and delicate; her skin even had a light tan due to all of the athletics she was involved with.

"What?"

"I love you!"

"Mom!" She grumbled, flushing scarlet with embarrassment. She could only hope that none of the neighbors heard her mother's humiliating declaration of affection. "I'm fifteen! You don't have to tell me that you love me every time I leave for school!"

"Ana!"

"Fine… I-I… I LOVE YOU, BYE!"

Seeing her daughter run merrily, Lightning felt pride flourish within her. The Gods had given her a second chance. For Ana, she'd endure any torment and weather any storm. As a mother, she did everything in her power to her protect her precious child. On the laborious day of Ana's birth, she swore to herself that she'd let no one harm her daughter. She wouldn't make the same mistake again…

**xxx**

"Hey Éclair!"

Anastasia turned her head at the all-too-familiar use of her surname.

"Hey Ren."

"Woah!" The blond haired boy gasped dramatically. "No snide insult? AND you've actually made it to school on time? Who are you, and what have you done to my best friend?"

"Ha. Ha."

"Oh stop it! It wasn't _that _funny."

Ren Kobayashi was a boy, an infuriating one at that, who came from a mixed family. He had been her friend since grade school. Often, due to the color of their hairs, they were mistaken for siblings. As irritating as he was, Ren had somehow managed to stay her friend. Although they argued more often than not, she could _never_ hate Ren—he was simply too innocent. Of course, that statement had been tested many times over the years. There were even times when all she wanted to do was create a Ren punching bag so she could beat him over and over again.

As they continued walking while having their daily conversation, they stopped at the end of an enormous crowd. Hundreds of students were gathered around the entrance of their high school. Everyone whispered excitedly as if a group of pop stars was going to arrive at any minute.

"What's going on?" She asked curiously.

"You don't know?"

"NO. I just asked you 'what's going on' because it makes me _extremely_ happy whenever I do."

Ren rolled his eyes, "Do you know about the Demon Brigade?"

"Do I? Of course I do, everyone knows about them. They're a group of famous demons from the capital that work for the king."

"Yeah, they're supposed to be visiting our school today."

"What for? There's nothing interesting to see here."

"Each year, they visit various combat-orientated schools such as ours in order to recruit talented demon students into their ranks. The schools have no choice, but to abide by the Brigade's rule. If they don't, they lose all funding from the capital. Basically what the Brigade does is test each student's combat skills by having them perform in certain trials. Of course, you don't know any of this because you're a measly, little first year."

"Thanks..."

Suddenly, the ruckus caused by the eager students grew louder. An envoy of black limousines drove up to the school. The members of the Demon Brigade emerged elegantly from their vehicles as if they were celebrities at a premiere. They walked through the parted waves of students, in an impressive, royal gait. When they stood next to the students, it was painfully obvious that they were so much more refined.

For the most part, she didn't really care about the Demon Brigade. It wasn't like she wanted to work for the capital, no matter how enticing the pay and benefits were. Plus, there was also the fact that she would _never_ leave her mother alone. As she continued to observe the members of the brigade, she made eye contact with an extremely attractive male. She lowered her eyes and blushed as his icy, violet eyes remained fixated on her. He scrutinized every inch of her body, making her flush even more. She had to pull at the collar of her uniform to release the steam that was building up in her chest. Boldly, she looked at him again, only to find him still staring at her. Before she could look away, his lips curled up into an amused grin. He turned away with his hands in his black blazer and led the members into the school's combat facility.

**xxx**

_What the hell is going on?_

Ana couldn't believe what she was seeing. As she stood amongst the equally startled group of observing students, she was at a loss for words. She knew the brigade was strong, but not _this _strong. This was absolutely humiliating and detrimental to her school's prestige. None of the military-arts students could compete against a _single_ person.

At the center of the arena stood a red-haired member of the brigade, and lying unconscious, around him, were several members of the upper division military class. The test given by the brigade was simple, yet impossible at the same time, as she had just witnessed. The objective was to land a clean hit on the designated target, who in this case was the red-head named Superbia. But that, itself, was the problem. No one could touch him. He was too agile, and way out of any student's league when it came down to a battle. To make things worse, he was an arrogant prick, who brutally beat down any of the students that attempted to hit him.

"What's wrong?" He shouted into the crowd of onlookers. "Is this really all this shitty school has to offer? National prestige? You've got to kidding me, my mother could beat you scrubs with her arms tied behind her back."

The whole brigade, comprised of roughly a hundred aristocratic demons, laughed at Superbia's ridiculous insults. They even joined in on the taunts, hurling insults in the same rude manner. All of demons, with the exception of the violet-eyed boy, their leader, snickered obnoxiously.

"Cocky bastards," she growled silently. If only she had practiced her combat abilities, instead of lazing around joining sports clubs, she could have kicked their arrogant asses.

"Save it Ana," Ren warned. "This is serious. You don't want to make enemies out of those guys. Though I have to say that, red-head over there has a really interesting vocabulary. I mean seriously? Scrubs? Who says that?"

"This is pathetic! We just got our asses handed to us by that douche-bag. I can't stand this."

"What are you going to do about it, you idiot? Do you want to get your ass kicked by him too?"

"Why don't you do anything? You're a guy, aren't you? Go beat him up, you'll look cool in front of all the girls."

"Ana, Ana, tsk, tsk. That would be a _great _idea IF I knew how to freakin' fight. The only thing I can do with these hands of mine is completely dominate on my PlayStation. Just yesterday, I unlocked every single trophy for Little Big Planet."

"Little Big wha—REN! This is serious. I'm really pissed off right now, and the red-head asshole still hasn't given up on insulting us. Why can't you be more like those characters in those manji comics you try to make me read all the time?"

"MANJI? MANJI? FOR CHRIST'S SAKES WOMAN! IT'S MANGA! M-A-N-G-A. Why am I still friends with you?"

"Because you wouldn't last a second without me. Anyways, why do you keep reading..?"

"Manga," he cut in.

"Right. Why do you keep reading manga?"

"Hey, can I help it that I'm half Asian? Did I ask for this Asian blood to flow through my veins?"

"I guess not."

"Well there you go."

Ana balled her fists angrily. She really, _really_ wanted to go out there, but she knew she wouldn't last a second against Superbia. All she could do was watch. She soon found out that she wasn't the only one thinking about ripping the red head into bits. The other students were also suppressing their anger.

"So that's it? There's no one else in this pussy school? Man what a bore!"

"Wait!" A voice boomed from the entrance of the facility.

Everyone turned to figure at the doorway. Seeing the person at the door, she smiled. Perhaps there was hope left, after all.

"Who the hell are you?" Red-head questioned.

The figure bounded onto the battle floor. His huge, bulking physique caused tremors as he ran. All of the students recognized who he was and started cheering. If anyone could beat up the red-head then it was him.

"Fourth-year, Student Council President, Joseph William reporting for duty! I hear you've been insulting my precious student body, is that correct?"

"So what?"

Without any noticeable movements, the President vanished. When he re-appeared, he was directly in front of the red-head, who was just as shocked as everyone else. The President grabbed Superbia's head in his massive hand and smashed his face on the floor. The crowd went wild. Students hugged each other, having their prides restored by the actions of their Student Council President. The President raised his fist to deliver the final blow, but it never came.

Ana gasped. Before she could register what was going on, the President went flying into the crowd, bowling over a couple unfortunate students. Where the President once had been, the violet-eyed boy stood. He looked awfully bored for someone who just sent an enormous man flying. He ran a hand through his unkempt black hair as if the stunt he pulled had been effortless.

"H-Holy shit!" She heard Ren choke. "B-Black hair. Violet eyes. Bandages on his arms. That's the king's head assassin!"

_Head assassin?_ You mean that she had a staring contest with the Demon King's head assassin, of all people? Was she a complete idiot?

"I remember now. My parents were talking about him. The reason why he wears bandages around his hands is because anything he touches rots and _dies_. That's why his name is Excess. In Latin, _excessum_ stands for death and digression."

She gasped, seeing Excess stalk towards the unconscious Student Council President, with a murderous gleam in his indifferent eyes. She had to stop him. No one else, but she and Ren knew who the dark-haired boy was, and she knew for a fact, Ren wasn't going to do a thing. Despite Ren's severe protests, she ran as quickly as she could and stood over the President's body, with her arms outstretched in the typical "protect you" fashion.

"Move." Excess ordered, unwrapping his bandages.

"No." She protested although legs shook uncontrollably. The lethal look in his violet eyes told her that he had killed plenty of times before without hesitation, and she was absolutely terrified. "Just leave him alone. He's done nothing to you."

"I won't say it again," he hissed venomously. "_Move_."

She shook her head, determined to fight until the end. In an instant, he closed the gap between them. He was so close to her. If he moved a single step closer, their lips would touch. Defiantly, she forced herself to stare back into his eyes. His eyes were alluring, yet they held so much anger and resentment. The other students were watching their silent exchange in awe. From the students' vantage points, they seemed like polar opposites.

"I'd rather not kill you. It'd be a waste to ruin something so _lovely_."

"I'd rather you not kill me, too. And I will take that as a compliment." _Oh God what the hell was she doing, swooning over the bewitching words of a murderer?_

"You really won't move?"

"No."

"Pity."

She closed her eyes as he lifted his hands and touched her cheek. His touch was surprisingly warm and welcoming. So warm, in fact, she initially thought her flesh had burned away, but _nothing_ happened. She opened her eyes and looked around; everything was still the same, so she couldn't be dead.

"I-I'm not dead?" _It was a pretty stupid question to ask._

For the first time in his life, Excess was completely shocked, at an utter loss for words. He brushed his hand against the gorgeous blonde's smooth skin. Her flesh wasn't rotting like it should have. She was completely unaffected by his cursed touch. There was only one other person in the world who was immune to his touch, and that was his master, Lord Noctis. Unable to contain his curiosity, he grabbed the blonde's delicate hand, examining her lithe fingers. He immediately noticed a silver ring placed on her ring finger. It was a ring that bore the Caelum crest. This girl was no ordinary human. No, she was much more than that. She was unquestionably the heiress to the demon throne, his _fiancé _and _mate_.

After years of searching, moving from one school to the other, he had found her at last.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. It pained him to do this.

"Wha— Uhh…" Ana gasped as he struck her in the stomach, knocking her out.

He carefully held her unconscious body in his arms. Ignoring the loud protests of the foolish human students, he made his way to his brigade where his subordinates were waiting.

"STOP!"

What was it this time? He turned and found himself facing a flimsy blond haired boy, who, by the looks of it, harbored some sort of affection for his mate. Unacceptable.

"Give her back!" Ren shouted. That idiot, Ana just had to go and try being a freakin' hero! His heart almost burst out of his chest when Excess had stroked her cheek. He still didn't know why Ana was unaffected by the boy's dangerous touch. Before he could blink, he was swept off his feet. The back of his head hit the matted floor. The king's assassin pinned him to ground with his foot.

"Get it over with, asshole!"

"You're not _worth_ killing. Instead, I want you to deliver a message for me. Tell Lady Lightning that her daughter's going to be in my care. Tell her to come to the demon palace, if she ever wants to see her precious child again."

_Demon palace? Lady Lightning? _What the hell was going on? He wasn't given any time to think about it. A sharp rap to the head knocked him unconscious.

**xxx**

"Ugh… Where am I?"

Ana sat up slowly and found herself in quite an elegant bed. The room itself was splendid with its white walls and flowers. It was the sort of room that teenagers, such as her, could only dream of having. _I mean come on, there was a damn sixty-inch television set, sitting right in her face, just begging to be turned on!_

"You're awake."

The unexpected voice caused her to jump. She craned a neck to get a better view of the person who had addressed her. The dim lighting made it impossible to see how he looked, and the fact that the man stood in the shadows didn't help at all. The man came closer and revealed himself. For probably the fifth time today, she practically almost passed out from shock.

"The K-King!" She sputtered like an idiot and tried to bow as best as she could. She half-expected him to strike her down for her lack of etiquette. Instead, he did something she'd never _ever_ believe he'd do. He walked to the bedside and gathered her into his warm, athletic arms. He was hugging her! Her mind couldn't comprehend what was going on. It took all of her effort not to scream and shake like an immature fan girl.

"You don't have to be so formal, Ana," Noctis whispered gently, inhaling his daughter's lovely scent. "God, you look so much like your mother."

_What?_

"Y-You know my name? And h-how do you know who my moth—"

"—But you have _my _eyes," He cut in.

_No. Freakin. Way. Did he just say what I think he said? _She opened her mouth to say something, but she was so flabbergasted her words died at throat. But there was no denying it; they both had glacial blue eyes that glittered in the moonlight.

"That's impossible! My mother told me my father died of an illness! A-And there's also the fact that I'm a human, and you're a demon!"

"Is that so? Your mother was always a clever woman, but then again, if she hadn't been, I would never have fallen in love with her." He slowly got into the bed, leaned against the headrest, and placed her on his lap, caging her against his body.

Oh my God. This had to stop. She almost fainted,_ again_. She'd never been _this_ intimately close to a male before, mainly because her mother threated to castrate any boy who tried to make a move on her. Ask Ren, he knew. She suddenly gasped, feeling his lips press against the back of her head.

"W-W-What are y-you doing?"

"Relax…" He sighed lovingly. "Do you know how long I've waited for this day? Do you know how painful it was? Knowing that you were out there, being able to feel your presence, but never being able to find you? I've searched for fifteen years, sent out all of my best trackers, but they never found you. Of course, that was to be expected. Your mother is very gifted at concealing things."

"Look," he lifted her left hand up and pointed to the silver ring. "I gave this ring to your mother when I courted her. What's special about this ring is that it suppresses a person's energy. In your case, it suppresses your demon nature. Your mother wanted to you to grow up as a human, so you'd never be involved with me. Have you taken it off before?"

"I did," she replied silently. "Once."

"And what happened?"

"I found out that I could move things with my mind. I could tell a door to open and it would. I could order animals to dance and they would. Mom eventually found out what I was doing and yelled at me. She was so angry, but at the same time she was scared. She looked at me with tormented eyes. Ever since that day, I've never taken the ring off."

"I see," he nodded, stroking his daughter's velvety, golden hair. "You've inherited my ability to command nature. Watch this," He pointed to a vase full of fresh roses, "Wither." As he had commanded, the roses crumbled into black ashes. "Live," This time, they returned to their former fresh states.

She watched intently as he continued to display his skills. He seemed so genuine in his attempt to persuade her. Her heart fluttered warmly. She felt so safe and secure in his arms with his fatherly love enveloping her.

"Why don't you take the ring off? There's something else I want to show you."

Curious, she did as he ordered.

"Check your wrist."

She did and surprisingly a strange, black insignia appeared on her wrist. It was like a mini-tattoo. She watched carefully as he rolled up his sleeves. On his left wrist was the same, exact mark! She realized that this couldn't be a coincidence.

"You're really my father, aren't you?" She sobbed happily. Tears poured down her eyes as she turned and buried her face into his chest. "I-I always hoped that you'd be alive, a-and here you are! D-D… D-Daddy!"

Noctis kissed his daughter and crushed her in his loving arms. Oh how he had longed for this day. She was everything he had expected her to be and _much _more. She was as beautiful as her mother. Her golden locks contrasted and complimented her blue eyes. To put it simply, she was exquisite.

"Let it all out, baby," he cooed, wiping away her tears. "I won't ever let you go. I promise."

"D-Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Why did mom leave you? Why did she try to hide me from you?"

"To be honest," he paused. "It's not really something I'm comfortable talking about, but I'll tell you…"

For hours, he sat and told her everything—from the moment he met her mother to the moment they parted, leaving no detail out of the story. She listened patiently and cringed at times. It was heart-breaking to hear what her poor mother had gone through. Although her father had been the one, who had inflicted the damage onto her mother, she could tell that he truly regretted his actions. His words were sincere. Moreover, she was momentarily overwhelmed by grief when she learned how her eldest sister, her parents' first child, had died.

"So that's why your mother named you Anastasia. Your name stands for resurrection. I assume your mother saw your birth as second chance. In a sense, she believed that you came back from the dead and named you accordingly."

"I can't believe I didn't know you existed."

"It's alright. We have plenty of time from now on. I just don't think your mother will ever forgive me for what I've done to her."

"I'll try to convince her. You couldn't help it, right? I mean, if I was possessed by my psycho other-half, I don't think I'd be sane either."

"Alright… I'm going to hold you to your word then."

A loud rap on the door interrupted their conversation. The door creaked open, and a manservant entered.

"My lord, Lady Lightning has returned to the palace, and she seeks your audience."

"Mom?" Ana questioned. "How did she know I was here?"

Surely, this couldn't be a coincidence.

_Could it?_

**xxx**

Lightning paced around the throne room frantically. Even now, with the palace guards observing her every move, she couldn't stay still. How could she when her precious daughter was in _his_ hands? Her heart had nearly burst out of her chest when Ren told her that Ana had been kidnapped. At first, she was worried, but when she realized just _who_ had taken her daughter, she went insane. She had driven for six hours non-stop and finally arrived at the palace, with the intent to murder everyone. However, she decided to be rational. She didn't want Ana to be harmed in her rage.

To be completely frank, she was still terrified by thought of seeing her husband. There was no way of knowing how fifteen years had changed him.

"Mom!"

Her heart fluttered at the sight of her daughter bursting through the grand doorway. Immediately, she ran over and hugged her baby.

"Are you okay?" She asked breathlessly. "Did _he_ hurt you?"

"You're mistaken if you think I would ever hurt _my_ own daughter."

She froze. Fifteen years couldn't make her forget how sweet and loathsome _his_ voice was. He entered through the doorway in his usual dark and majestic splendor, carrying with him his aura of malice; however, he was different. He didn't seem like the man, who had abused her. Rather, he seemed like the man, who she had given her heart to.

"Well excuse me for doubting you, but I think I would know from _personal_ experience," she spat bitterly.

"Mom!" Ana scolded.

"Come on, baby. We need to leave now. We can't stay here any longer!"

"No! I'm not leaving!"

She couldn't believe what her daughter was saying. There was no reason for them to stay in this god-forsaken palace!

"What are you talking about? Don't be silly. Let's go."

"Mom… Dad's told me everything, and I truly believe that you can't blame him. I know as much as you do that, somewhere deep inside, you're still hoping that we can be a family. And we can! Dad's changed, so please Mom…"

"No. Absolutely not, you don't know what kind of person he is. If you're not going to go then I'm leaving without you."

"You can do whatever you want, but I'm staying," Ana replied stubbornly. "I've lived without dad for fifteen years, I'm not just going to let this opportunity slide by."

"Ana PLEASE!" She cried hysterically, uncomfortable under her husband's piercing gaze. "You know I can't ever leave you. You're all I have left…"

"Mom. Trust me, _please_. Dad's willing to make things right with you. Stay here for a week, and if you still can't stand the sight him, I'll leave with you. I promise, I won't even lift a finger in protest. Give him a chance."

She closed her eyes and carefully weighed her options. Was she really going to do this? What would it take for her learn? _She had to hope._

"Okay. Just this once… I'll do it for you."

"Really?" Her daughter beamed brightly. She turned to her father and gave him a proud wink. All that was left was for him to do his part then maybe, for once and for all, they could get passed this hurdle.

"Well then, I guess I'll show you where you'll be staying, while Ana attends to her business," Noctis answered.

"I'm not going anywhere without my daughter," she spat.

"Mom. It's fine. I'm not going to disappear. I'll be with you, shortly. I just have to do something real quick." Of course, she really didn't have anything to. It was simply a plan concocted by her and her father.

She watched with a sliver of hope as her father offered her mother his arm. And as expected, her mother slapped his arm away and cursed at him. It wasn't much, but they had to start somewhere.

**xxx**

"I've missed you."

Silence.

"Please _love_, it's really me. I had to fight for _fifteen_ agonizing years to re-take control of this body, but I've finally gotten rid of _him_. I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you! I _love _you."

More silence.

"Do you remember this place?" He laughed softly. "I first met you here. I still remember, you kicked my ass for complimenting you. It was also… Where we got married."

"Listen," she hissed. "Just stop. I'm in no mood to talk to you."

"I see… Well, we're here."

He opened the door, revealing a lavishly furnished room. Inside, there was a single bed, though it was enormous in size. There were also several drawers and wardrobes. Other than that, it was simply designed to be a guest room.

"Light… I'm sorry…"

"Save it."

"I'm sorry you're still the _gullible _fool you've always been."

_What?_

Before she could react, he roughly shoved her into room. When she passed through the doorway, she felt as if she had entered a different dimension, and she had. The room was nothing compared to what it "looked" like from the outside. The place was a rotten shit-hole filled with cold rocks and gravel. In essence, the place was a prison cell.

"What the hell is this?" She demanded angrily. She tried to leave the way she came in, but the room was invisibly sealed off.

"You haven't changed at all."

_No! _She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Staring back at her were the same hateful red irises that belonged to _him_. How was this possible?

"What have you done?"

"Simple, I've put you where you belong—with me. Now, you'll never be able to escape, isn't it convenient? Do you really want to know what I've done during the fifteen years we were separated? I built this prison cell for you, that's what I did. It was specifically constructed to fit your needs. On the outside it looks like a plain guest room, but it's not, you know that first-hand. However, that's not all. Let's just assume that little Ana decides to visit her mother. She wouldn't notice a thing. The only people that can see the room, for what it really is, are you and I."

"I knew it! You can't be trusted."

"But it's too late to change your mind. I've already got you where I want, and poor Ana doesn't suspect a thing. I've also learned how to act by the way."

"Why are you doing this, Noctis? Why can't you just leave me and Ana alone? Why can't you let _Ana_ go? That was fifteen years, ago! This is now!"

"WHY?" He shouted angrily. "I'll tell you why. It's because you two are _mine. _MINE. Why can't you understand that? As long you live, you'll never be doted on by men other than me."

"Ana will never accept this."

"Oh Ana will never know. You won't tell her."

"Do you want to test that theory?"

"No, because I already know you won't. Why would you? Tell me, what would happen to Ana's frail heart if she discovered that her father wasn't the gentle man she believed he was? She would be devastated, heart-broken. She would despise me, and that anger would gnaw and eat away at her kind spirit. Are you okay with that?"

Lightning cursed angrily, tears of frustration welling in her eyes.

"Either way, loath me or not, she's not leaving this palace. It's your decision. If you want to destroy her _happiness _then by all means do so. Her time here can either be pleasurably fake or brutally real."

"Damn you," she grit her teeth. "What do you plan to do to Ana?"

"I have to say, we've created quite a beautiful child. Her delicate looks have not gone unnoticed. I'm going to give her hand in marriage to my head assassin. That way I'll be able to consolidate my rule within the assassin factions."

"You would give Ana to someone she doesn't know? You're despicable!"

"Hate me all you want. It won't change a thing. And you should wipe that glare off your face, Ana is coming."

"Mom!" Ana called out happily.

"I'll leave you two alone for now," he smiled, closing the door behind the mother and daughter pair.

"Wow the room looks really nice. What do you think mom?"

"I-It's lovely," she lied.

"Are you sure? Are you okay?"

"Listen to me Ana," she ordered, pulling a silver necklace out of her pocket. "Wear this right now."

"What for?"

"Don't ask any questions, just do it! _Please_, just do it for me."

"Alright," she complied and put on the necklace.

"Now think of our _house_. Think of the kitchen, think of your bedroom, think of anything that you can remember."

"Okay."

She thought of her bedroom, mainly the little desk she had where she would study and do her homework late into the night. As soon as she did, the room started to spin. Her mother's face became a blur. She couldn't tell what was going on, but everything became a messy conglomeration of _nothing_. Everything became black, and then there was simply nothing.

Lightning watched with a heavy heart. Seeing her daughter vanish had been heartbreaking, but it was something she had to do. She wasn't going to let Ana suffer in her marriage to a murderer. It was better this way.

At that moment, Noctis burst into the room furiously. He had sensed his daughter disappear.

"Where is she?" He grabbed her shoulder and shook her roughly.

"You'll never find her. I used the necklace. You know exactly what the necklace does, you gave it to me. In a couple of hours, our daughter's going to wake up without a single memory. She'll never know what happened to us. You gave me that necklace and told me to use it if I was ever kidnapped. Ana's gone, she'll never be tormented by you. I _win_."

He started laughing wildly. His whole body shook with absolute bliss.

"What's so funny?" She questioned hesitantly. Her confidence started to waver.

"This is what I wanted all along! I _wanted _you to give the necklace to Ana. Do you know why? Ana is a _single_ child. All I need is right here. With you, I can have as _many_ children as I want."

"N-No" She shook her head. She couldn't believe it! She had played right into his hands without realizing it. "You can't do this!"

He slid out of his suit, smiling wickedly, "Shall we get started?"

_Ana… I'll always love you… As long as we're both alive… I'll endure anything… Even this… _

_Grow and live free Anastasia_

_My precious jewel._

_My unwavering hope._

**xxx**

Anastasia — a story for **Kingu, Fishcake-kun, marchenne****, **and **TigerRaiken**


	2. A Sea of Stars

for **Henrietta Skylink**, whose support is like A Sea of Stars  
>for <strong>The SilverLight<strong>, who has been ever so encouraging. Keep it up, Alexa!  
>for <strong>Cam277<strong>, whose profile _pic_ inspired this _fic_ (haha)

A/N: Halfway through the one-shot, listen to **_My Most Precious Treasure_ **by **_Girl's Dead Monster_** for maximum emotional effect!

* * *

><p><strong>A Sea of Stars<br>**by _Eel Nivek_

• • • • • •

She was hated.

There was no doubt about it. Every platoon that she had commanded turned against her, cursing her ruthlessness under their breaths. They abhorred her and had every right do so. _Emotionless bitch _was what they called her, but her lack of emotions and affection was what had kept her alive all these years. In the military, the rules were simple—an order was an order and nothing was personal. Sure, she would have won over her subordinates had she been kinder, but admiration wasn't everything. She wanted results—she wanted to keep her soldiers alive.

"Commander!" A frantic member of her division came rushing at her.

She turned, "Yes?"

"The platoon has located the rebel army's hidden encampment. With your command, I will lead our troops and force them to surrender."

"Surrender?" She scoffed, arrogantly placing a hand on her hip. "You're too naïve. Burn the colony to the ground."

"B-But commander! T-That is unnecessary, excessive even! The encampment houses innocent women and children, mere bystanders caught in a battle that they have no connection to!

"Unnecessary? Excessive? If I wanted your worthless opinion, I would have asked for it. Women, children, men kill them all. That's an _order_."

"C-Commander… S-Surely… There is another way. Perhaps, if we can come to an understanding wit—"

"Sergeant! You're getting on my nerves. Since you seem so eager to argue on their behalf, then you wouldn't mind if I killed you instead, would you?'

The soldier tensed, sweating profusely. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words died at his throat.

"M-Ma'am p-please reconsider your decision… The rebels are just ignorant! You cannot blame them!"

She unholstered her gun blade to show that she was extremely irritated with the soldier's audacity to order her around. His demeanor changed immediately after taking a good look at the malice in her crystalline eyes.

"I-I shall do as you command!"

Satisfied, she smiled bitterly, "Go on then."

She watched, with a perverse sense of humor, as the soldier sulked out of her tent. If only he knew how foolish his decisions were. Force the rebels to surrender? If that was a feasible solution then it would have been utilized years ago. After all, everyone was sick of this damn war. But it wasn't possible to negotiate with the rebels. They were too stingy. Even if they were backed into a corner, as they were now, they would fight to their last man. Sure, they could negotiate, force the rebels into submission, but at what cost? The lives of her men were at stake here, and she wouldn't gamble.

Silently, she observed the maps strewn out on the table. She never could have expected what would happen next. Before she could react, a flurry of bullets rained into her room, shattering the windows and piercing her flesh. She dropped to floor, unable to comprehend the excruciating pain. All she could do was clench her teeth. How many bullets had made their way into her body? She couldn't tell.

_A coup d'état_?

It wasn't surprising when she was loathed by so many people.

Pity… She was on the brink of death, suffering from fatal wounds, yet all she could think of was how uneventful her life was. She had been a soldier all of her life, given no chance to experience the joys and happiness a normal girl would enjoy. Her whole life revolved around warfare. At an early age, when other girls were fussing over their crushes, she had been stressing over her inability to stay physically fit.

All she wanted was to live a normal life… Fall in love like a normal girl.

Was that really too much to ask?

**xxx**

"Prince Noctis…" A voice called out.

It repeated.

"Prince Noctis!"

He opened his weary eyes, exhausted from the unending car ride. His chauffeur, an old Caelum manservant, prodded him lightly. Awake, he blew hot air onto the foggy window and rubbed it clean. The world outside seemed like an entirely different universe. The sky was sullen and gray. The whole environment, in general, seemed cold and decrepit, unfriendly to those that were easily sensitive. Weary, he pulled a small, but precious artifact out of his pocket. It was something his mother had given to him long ago. A _Paopu fruit_ was what she called it. He still remembered the moment his dearest mother had first placed it in his crib, explaining to him the significance behind the fruit.

It was the Caelum lineage's traditional way of courting. If two people shared one, their destinies became intertwined. They'd remain a part of each other's live no matter what happened, is what his mother told him. So far, the practice served its purpose. Generation after generation of Caelums experienced familial prosperity. Every King and Queen lived healthy lives, lives without misfortune or accidents. In short, the Paopu fruit was a blessing from the heavens that bestowed happiness upon the royal family. Shaped like a star, the fruit also glittered in the moonlight, giving it the perfect essence of a celestial body.

He rubbed the fruit lightly. Even touched and unpreserved, it didn't decay or rot. Moreover, it was a simple object, whose texture clearly did not feel squishy as a normal fruit would. He stuck it back into his pocket. _One day_… One day, he'd find the right woman for him, the woman, who he would give his love and children. Until then, he'd preserve this Paopu. So far, although the women were plenty, he had yet to find the one for him. Every woman that he had made acquaintances with proved to be phony or shallow. Most chased after his title and wealth, others forced themselves to _act_ mannered in his presence. He hated it.

His noble lineage was both a blessing and a curse. As the crown prince of the regal, omnipotent Caelum kingdom, he lived a spoiled, easy life. Whereas peasants toiled, day and night, for a few measly grains of rice, he enjoyed luxurious feasts daily without having to lift a finger. The mere thought sickened him. Why should he be privileged when the only distinction between him and commoners was blood?

"Arthur," he addressed his quiet chauffer.

"Yes young master?"

"Am I good prince?"

"Why of course you are! I couldn't think of a better person for the position of crown prince other than my young master. Why do you ask?"

"Be honest."

"I am being most sincere. As your personal manservant, I've observed the way you've grown, and I must say, you've become a splendid figure indeed. No one in this country can compete with you! You've surpassed all other beings in terms of leadership, military prowess, and intelligence."

He shook his head, "Then why does poverty still exist? If I'm so perfect, as you've just portrayed me to be, why do people suffer? As a leader, I hate that the most."

"That is simple. People will always suffer. It is a universal law that no one can alter. However, what _you_ can do is ease the suffering of your subjects. This is what constitutes and separates good leaders from the bad."

"Arthur… Do people hate me?"

"Most certainly, but you should not be concerned by this. From what I have gathered, the majority of the people in our kingdom has accepted and respects you as their new leader. Please take into the consideration that no one, not even the glorious Goddess Etro, is loved by all."

"Let me ask you one last thing… Do you think I could ever be normal?"

"By normal, do you mean, live a peasant life? The life of a commoner?"

"Yes."

"No. _Absolutely _not."

"Is that so…"

He sighed and shook his head cynically. The only road for him to take was one that led to a dead end. Unbearably bored, he continued to look out the window. In the distance, an eerily constructed truck approached their vehicle at an alarming rate, quickly closing the gap. _Shit_…

"Arthur! Get us out of here!"

"I can't young master! T-The car has been magically locked! It will not function at all. The locks, the engine, the windows have all been killed."

Reality was a funny thing. He leaned his head back against the leather headrest and closed his eyes. He hadn't been expecting to die at such an early age. But in all seriousness, whoever had plotted this assassination was quite clever. They knew too much about him. Bullets and knives wouldn't kill him. He could block those with a simple wave of his hand, but a _fucking_ truck? To make things worse, his ability to teleport had been warded off. Someone really wanted him dead.

Unlike his frantic manservant, he settled himself quite easily. He really wasn't afraid of dying. Who was he going to leave behind? There wasn't anyone he cared about. He waited patiently, accepting his fate. Now that he thought about it, it was partially his fault. If he had accepted an arranged marriage to whatever girl and shared the Paopu with her then he wouldn't be in this ridiculous predicament.

As the raucous sound of the truck's engine grew louder, he closed his eyes. He hoped his death would be painless. The fates owed him that much, at least. The sound then became so loud that time seemed to stop. In a fleeting moment, he saw his life flash before his eyes. It was one of those cliché moments where people saw snippets of their memorable moments right before their deaths.

Damn…

**xxx**

His head hurt so much, but he was breathing. Strangely, his body wasn't bruised or damaged at all. There were no fatal wounds, broken bones or deep gashes. He stood and scratched his head, confused. He had absolutely no idea where he was. What he did know was that he was standing, knees deep in the shores of a crystalline beach, staring at a modest house. The building seemed so out of place. Who could have possibly constructed a house on this small, secluded island, and for what purpose? But more importantly, where the hell was he?

"Noctis."

That voice!

"Mother?" He spun around. Floating above the water was the spitting image of his deceased mother, who looked _very_ alive to him. "How is this possible?"

"Oh my precious child, it's so wonderful to see you, but it pains me to know that we met under these circumstances."

"What do you mean?"

"You are no longer in the world you once existed in. As of now, your body in the temporal world is in a deep coma. The impact from the truck tore your soul from your body, and that's why you're here. In essence, this place is the afterlife."

"So there's no way I can go back? I'm dead?"

"No. You _can_ go back, but you must fulfill a condition first."

"Condition?"

His mother gathered his lean frame into her delicate arms and played with his cobalt hair, "When you were alive, what did you want the most?"

"I wanted…"

"—Ah! Ah! You can't tell me. It's forbidden. Just keep that in mind. Once you've accomplished that, once you've experienced what you truly desire, you'll return to your body, and the memories of your time here will cease to exist."

"I don't get this at all. I'm so lost, mother. Why can't I just stay with you, here? Why do I have to return home? Why aren't I dead?"

"Oh baby, I wish I could answer your questions, but you have to learn to rely on your instincts from now on. As much as I would love to be with you for eternity, your time hasn't come yet. You still haven't experienced _true_ happiness. You had regrets the moment you died, and that's the reason why you're here."

"What if I never find what I want? Will I stay here forever?"

"You'll find it. I know you will."

"What If I _do_ find it, and don't want to leave?"

"You'll deal with it. You _are_ my son, you can do anything."

"Mother… I don't want to be a prince. As selfish as I'm coming off, I don't want to shoulder the burdens of my subjects."

"And you don't have to. You're free here. In this world, you can do whatever you want."

"But it's not reality! It's only temporary! I don't want to live a normal, happy life, only to wake up one day trapped in the real world."

His mother grasped his hands gently, "There's a reason for everything, sweetheart. I _just _can't tell you what that is… But rest assured, you will get through this, and when you do, you'll have gained something _precious_."

He felt his mother's fingers slip away.

"Don't go, please. I just met you after years of separation, it's not fair. Stay here… I love you, mother."

"I love you too, sweetheart, but my time is up. My duty was to guide you onto the right track, and I know now that you'll find what you're looking for."

"_Please_."

"Oh honey, you're breaking my heart."

"Then don't leave me. I want you to stay with me."

She brushed him away gently, shaking her head.

"No sweetheart… What you _really_ want lies behind those doors. I guarantee that it does. This world was constructed specifically for you and another, whose destinies were entwined since the beginning. Don't worry about the future, enjoy the present. Live life the way you want to. Make me proud…"

He hugged her mother's petite body, trying to prevent her from leaving him, but it was futile. Her body slipped through his hold and slowly drifted towards the bright, blue sky. Seeing his mother disappear into the clouds, he walked up shore, with a heavy heart. There really wasn't anything for him to do than approach the house. He came to the doorstep and knocked lightly. No one answered, so he assumed it was unoccupied. He pulled on the knob and surprisingly the door swung open.

Inside, the house was simply designed with a kitchen embedded under a pair of staircases. The living room was spacious and friendly, with a nice television set in center of a couple white couches. Further inspecting the interior, he walked up the staircase, which led him to a _single_ room.

The door was slightly open. He slowly crept his way in and froze at the sight of a woman sleeping beneath the white covers of a single, king-sized bed. The sight of her long, milky legs tangled in the sheets made him hold his breath. _A goddess? _She was quite frankly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He came to the bedside, inspecting the woman even further. Putting it simply, there were no flaws in her physical beauty. She was without a doubt his ideal woman. Her exquisite pink hair gave her an air of childish frailty; however, her toned figure spoke otherwise.

Who was she? And what was she doing here? As time passed, he became mortified by the lewd thoughts that crept into his mind. Never before had he wanted to make acquaintances with a woman so much. There was something about her that stirred his deepest desires. Soon, he found himself obsessively making predictions about her. What color would her eyes be? Would they be as rare and delicate as the color of her hair?

He continued staring at her beautiful complexion. It took him all of his willpower not to gather her in his arms and smother her against him. _Dear Etro!_ He was thinking like a crazed lunatic. But damn, it wasn't fully his fault for having these perverse thoughts. Who could blame him when the woman before him was wearing only a light chemise that hugged each and every one of her _very_ "existent" curves?

Unable to bear the strain any longer, he chose to leave the room before he could commit a crime. Even outside, his mind lingered on the beautiful, pink-haired woman. He wanted to know more about her. His body couldn't keep still. He pranced around the kitchen, tinkered with the oven, and even watched a couple of sitcoms. Face buried in the sofa pillows, he tossed and turned like an impatient child. Fidgety, he sat up and tossed aside both his necktie and suit. He traced his way back into the kitchen and decided to cook himself something nice.

Looking around, he couldn't find any ingredients. The fridge was completely empty. How the hell could anyone live on this island, without any food, especially when the place was completely surrounded by miles of ocean? He continued to look and found an eerie, silver vault built into the wall. He opened it curiously and found a set of instructions written on the inside.

_Ask and it shall be provided. _

_What the..?_

"Food," he ordered.

Nothing happened. Perhaps, he had to be more specific.

"Scrambled eggs."

The vault whirred to life, humming like an engine. In less than a minute, it rang like an alarm clock and slowly opened. A dish of scrambled eggs popped out of the vault. _Holy… What in the… _

Curiosity piqued, he continued to experiment.

"Gun, television, suit, tie, socks, shoes, sword, bra, band-aid."

As he had asked for, the vault spat out every item he desired. Tossing the items aside, he noticed a movement from the corner of his eye and turned. _Mother of…_ He choked. If possible, his jaw would have touched the floor. The pink-haired goddess slowly made her way down the steps, rubbing her eyes, not fully awake, and walked towards him without a clue that he was there. Even worse, or _better_, she had ditched the chemise and was only wearing a pair of pink bras and pink laced panties. There was no doubt about it, this was heaven… Cue nosebleed!

And then it happened…

Well, he didn't exactly know what happened…

It all happened so fast. The lazy, vulnerable expression on her sleepy face quickly vanished as she sensed his presence.

She…

Turned.

Gasped.

Shrieked.

_Then_ charged…

In mere seconds, she grabbed him by the arm. Surprised, he had no idea what to do and succumbed to her judo toss. She sent him flying into the wall at breakneck speeds. If he hadn't been mystically endowed by the Crystals, he would have been a _very_ dead pancake… But honestly, what the hell? For a petite woman, who barely reached his neck in height, she had one hell of a throw. And what was that about her being a cute, delicate goddess again? Scratch that! Hell-scorned, amazon, war goddess was a much more fitting description.

"Uhhh… My head…" He whined, crumpled against the wall.

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded angrily.

_Damn_, her voice was red-hot and impossibly sexy. Like her hair, it was unique. Normal woman just didn't have that kind of husky, erotic voice, which she so easily produced.

"Uhhhh…"

His head was so jumbled he couldn't form any comprehensible words. He simply lied there, with his legs sprawled against the wall, and tried to recuperate.

"Answer me!"

"Uhh…"

"Do you want me to break your arm?"

"N-No… Please… No…"

He slowly re-arranged himself and finally stood up. A hot blush tinted his cheeks as he continued to notice the pink-haired woman's state of undress. He could see in her beautiful, crystalline eyes that she had yet to realize how improper her attire was. He looked away, as any proper gentleman would, for her sake.

"Look at me!" She barked.

_Oh shit!_

He shook his head and refused to do so, which only fueled her anger.

"How dare you refuse my order?"

_Refuse? _She sounded like one of his Generals.

"Look here lady!" He held his hands up in air. "The reason why I won't look at you is because it would be extremely inappropriate on my part."

"Inappropriate? What do you mea—?"

Then it hit her. And as it did, her facial expression changed from one of seriousness to one of utter mortification. A shameful, scarlet brush crept up from her neck and covered her whole face. She took one step back and stuttered, trying to preserve her modesty by covering her breasts.

"D-Don't look at me you s-s-shameless pervert!" She screamed.

He sighed and turned to face the wall. He could hear her cursing colorfully as she stormed up the staircase. Minutes later, she came down wearing an overcoat and black leggings. She glared as she strutted towards him, sizing him up.

"What's your name?"

"Noctis, and you?"

"Hn," She scoffed as if the mere thought of revealing her name disgusted her. "Lightning."

"Lightning?"

"Are you deaf?"

He ignored the question, "Why are you here?"

Lightning tossed her hair over her shoulder, "For the same reason as you, I suppose. I was _killed_ in the real world, and this is my afterlife."

Nodding, he made his way over to the couch and sat.

"How long have you been here?"

"Hmph," She folded her arms, circling around him. "For about two weeks now."

"Alone?"

"Does it matter?"

He shrugged, "I guess not."

And that was it.

They stayed that way, basking in silence, for a good few minutes. The silence was unbearable, but he had no idea what to say. His words died at his throat; it was strange, he wanted to say something, but he hesitated. He didn't want to give Lightning a bad impression, although he'd probably given her a bad one already. But damn… For a woman with an icy exterior, she was _absolutely_ adorable, especially when she chewed on her bottom lip and furrowed her sharp brows, showing that she was frustrated or lost in thought.

"N-Noctis?"

He turned.

"C-Can I call you that?"

Why was she blushing?

"Of course," He smiled. He couldn't get over how beautiful both her appearance and actions were. "Is there something wrong? You're quite red."

She bit her lip, "Are you hungry?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Will you cook for me?"

She nodded slowly.

"Then _yes_," He replied. The mere thought that she wanted to cook something for him made him giddy and happy. "But if you don't mind my asking, _why_?"

"I just thought I should make it up to you... I mean, I kind of did throw you against the wall. And I did call you a pervert, when it really was my fault…"

"I'd like that."

Her face lit up, "I'll make you something, just wait a bit, okay?"

"Okay."

He sat on the couch and turned on the television. It was quite strange. He felt relaxed; this was exactly how he had wanted to live—having a woman, preferably his wife, cook for him while he waited eagerly. Right now, for some reason, he felt like he was in that type of relationship. Rather than watching the television, he decided to watch Lightning, to observe how gracious and elegant she was when she was cooking. The apron, a symbol of domesticity was unfamiliar, even unsuited, to her character, but she looked lovely in it regardless.

"Dinner's ready!"

_Dinner's ready…_ Those words sounded wonderful coming from her lips.

He sat down on the small table and took a moment to observe all of the wonderful dishes she had prepared. Dear Etro… What couldn't she do? She was perfect, and the fact that she had spent her time cooking the dishes, instead of prompting the vault to make them for her, just showed how amazing she was.

She sat at the opposite end, quietly picking at her food, while he did nothing but stare.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Are you real?"

"What?"

"I mean it's so hard to believe. You're so _beautiful_, talented, and elegant I just can't help but wonder if this all dream. Honestly, when I first saw you, I thought you were a goddess."

Lightning dropped her fork and pursed her lips, turning her head away in utter embarrassment and joy. Her face flushed red, again. There was something about Noctis, whether it was his charming words or his gorgeous eyes, that made her blush.

"No one's… ever called me beautiful… before…"

She stared down at her lap, unable to make eye-contact with Noctis. His words were genuine and that's why they were so frightening. This was almost too real, and reality had been cruel to her. Would he turn cruel as well? Etro, she was so afraid of commitment, so afraid of dropping her mask and letting herself indulge in her feminine desires.

"They probably couldn't tell you. I mean I'm pretty confident myself, but a woman as lovely as you would even make me stutter."

She smiled. He was good, "Noctis… Tell me more about yourself. Who are you _or_ who _were_ you?"

"Well… I was the prince and sole heir of an isolated nation called Regnum."

"Regnum? I've never heard of that before. What world does it inhabit?"

"A world called Gaia," he answered. "Where did you live?"

"I lived in Cocoon, a part of a world called Pulse. Have you heard of Pulse before?"

"Actually, I have, but I've never been there. My father's mentioned it quite a few times during his council meetings. Apparently, it's a world filled with strange, mystical creatures."

"I guess you could say that. There are these enormous, mutant turtles called Adamantoise and Adamntortoises that literally cause earthquakes when they walk."

"Heh," he laughed. "That does that sound interesting. Lightning, tell me more about yourself."

Her demeanor changed instantly. She visibly receded into her shell. Damn, he shouldn't have asked her that question.

"I-I don't think you'd want to know…"

"I do."

"I-I…" She paused and stared at her fingertips. "I was a commander in the Guardian Corps, a police division of Cocoon's military."

A commander? Impressive.

"So that explains the Judo toss."

"Yeah," she nodded. "I was trained in a dozen different forms of martial arts. I… I'm just not who you think I am…"

"Well, I hardly know you. We've just met."

"No, that's not the point. You don't understand, I'm a murderer! I've killed and ordered innocent civilians to be killed! _That's_ why no one's ever called me beautiful! I'm a filthy, blood-stained monster…"

He could see that she was pained. Her past still had an enormous influence on her actions. The fact that she could acknowledged her imperfection made her even more beautiful.

"Lightning, it's alright. It doesn't matter who you _were_, I want to get to know who you are as of today. You've probably been told this, but our destinies are supposed to be intertwined. Don't let something as silly as your past ruin your future."

Lightning gasped and stared into Noctis's icy, blue eyes. Why? Why didn't he abhor her?

"Let's make a deal."

"A d-deal?"

"I don't know how long our time here is going to last, but promise me one thing. Don't worry about who you used to be. Just be who you want to be. Honestly, I hated being a prince. All I wanted to do was live a normal life, and that's what I'm going to do. Here, we can be whoever we want to be. You don't have to be a soldier and I don't have to be a prince."

"I'd like that."

"Then it's settled. As of now, you're _just_ Lightning, and I'm _just_ Noctis. Hello _just_ Lightning, I'm _just _Noctis, it's so very nice to meet you."

Lightning laughed musically. He couldn't help but laugh along as well.

"Shall we eat then?" He asked.

"We shall."

While staring into Lightning's unbelievably lustrous eyes, he cut into his mouth-watering steak and brought it to his lips. He felt something stir within him. Something that told him that the future held promise for both of them, and that this was merely the beginning.

He bit into his steak.

He froze.

He fell out of his chair. Anime style.

Lightning bolted to her feet, "Noctis, what's wrong? Noctis! Are you okay?"

He couldn't say anything. His words had been flushed out by the overwhelmingly bad taste in his mouth.

_Heh…_

Maybe she wasn't _perfect_ after all.

**xxx **

Time passed so very quickly.

Lightning found herself sitting alone by the ocean's shore, gazing into the beautiful night sky. She absolutely loved watching the stars. They were so beautiful and heavenly. As a child, all she had wanted to do was touch one. She smiled. The silly memory was embarrassing, but Noctis had taught her that it was _okay_ to dream. Speaking of the dark-haired prince, whom she had grown so fond of, he was the best acquaintance anyone could ask for.

He had taught her so many things that she would never have dreamed of learning. During their months together, he took her spear-fishing, taught her how to_ surf_, and showed her what a "sand-castle" was. She loved every moment that she was with him. He was so gentle and kind to her. He didn't mind that she was a slow-learner. No, he would always stand by her side patiently and correct her when corrections were necessary, and on his fervent recommendation, she had taken a couple of cooking lessons from him.

As she continued to recall her time with Noctis, she felt a rush of warmth fill her chest. She clutched at her breast and gasped. What was this feeling? She couldn't possibly… No… No… That was _completely_ unacceptable and out of the question. Their circumstances absolutely forbade it.

She craned her neck, sensing Noctis's presence.

He appeared from their house and sat next to her.

"What are you up to?" He asked.

"Star-gazing."

"Beautiful night, isn't it?"

"It is."

They sat together, huddled shoulder to shoulder, and silently observed the night's starry display. She sighed blissfully. This was _it_. This was how she envisioned her perfect life to be, basking not only in the presence of the beautiful stars, but also in the presence of a beautiful acquaintance. She stared at Noctis's gentle features. Even though she'd already spent a year with him, she could never get over how kind he was. He was so different from the men she knew.

"You must really love the stars."

She smiled, hugging her legs, "I do. This is kind of embarrassing to say, but I've always wanted to touch them. As a child, all I wanted… Oh God this is going to ruin my image… was to be enveloped by them."

"Is that right?"

He mused then paused. He knew exactly what he could do to lighten her mood.

Seeing Noctis furiously fumble with his pockets, she became quite curious.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah hah!" He pulled out his prized Paopu fruit, which, in the luminous moonlight, lit up like a celestial body.

She gasped, unable to believe her eyes.

"Is that a…"

"A star?" He shook his head. "It's called a Paopu fruit. Strange isn't it? It's a fruit that's shaped like a star, glows in the moonlight like a star, but _isn't_ a star."

"Can I touch it?"

He handed it to her.

She beamed brightly, observing the texture of the eerie star-shaped fruit. It didn't feel soft or mushy as most fruits did, it was sleek, and its glowing hue only increased its appeal. It genuinely felt like she was holding a star in her hands.

"How did you get this?" She asked.

"In my kingdom, the Paopu fruit is a rare treasure used in courtship ceremonies. According to the beliefs of my ancestors, the Paopu fruit brings harmony to the lives of two couples. If two people share the fruit, their destinies are entwined forever. No matter what happens, no harm will befall them, and no misfortune will ruin their marriage."

"That's wonderful," she held the fruit up and when she did, it blended into the night sky perfectly. "I suppose you haven't found the woman for you then?"

_I have._

He didn't reply. He simply smiled, watching Lightning adorably toy with the fruit. There was no doubt about it anymore. She was the one for him. His interest and love for her grew stronger each and every day. Her strong outer and soft inner personas melted his heart. He had never enjoyed being in anyone's company as much as he enjoyed being in Lightning's. His mother was right—their fates were entwined that was undeniable the moment he laid eyes upon Lightning.

"Lightning," His voice was stern.

"Yes?"

"I don't really know how to say this, but I _have _to say it. It's been on my mind for too long now."

"What is it?"

"I… I _love _you."

"W-What?"

She bolted to her feet, shaking her head in furious denial. No. No. NO! He couldn't be serious. Why did he have to do this to? Why did he compromise her like this? She would have been perfectly fine with being acquaintances, but lovers? Absolutely not. It all came down to the circumstances. She wasn't going to let her heart be broken. They _couldn't _be lovers; it was impossible.

"I-I… Why?" She shouted. "You shouldn't love me!"

"But I do," He answered gently, standing as well. He walked towards her backing figure. "The year we've spent together has been more wonderful than all of the years that I've lived in the temporal world. I don't want to deny these feelings any longer. I love you, Lightning."

"N-No… No… Don't love me… Don't do this to me, Noctis, please."

"I love you."

"You don't get it, do you?" She shouted angrily, discarding the Paopu fruit. "We're living a lie! This isn't reality! Sure, I've enjoyed my time here, but it's only temporary. You should have been told that once our deepest desires are satisfied, we'll return to the _real_ world without a single memory of our time here."

He took a step back.

_Shit… _She was right.

"That's why I can't fall in love with you. You have to understand this. My deepest desire _is _to fall in _love_. That's all I want to do, but I can't, don't you realize that? Once we fall in love… we'll part… we'll never see each other again… You'll return to your life on Regnum, and I'll return to my life on Cocoon. We'll be universes apart with absolutely _no_ chance of meeting again!"

He closed his eyes, cringing at the very thought of parting ways.

"I-I was so excited when you arrived on the island, about this time, a year ago. Did you know that all I wanted to do was jump into your arms? I was a fool… We can't _ever_ fall in love, and if we do, it's over for us… That's why I won't say I'm in love in with you, I can't. I don't want to leave you."

"It's okay," he stated calmly.

"It's NOT okay!"

"It's alright, _Lightning._"

"Stop chiding me like I'm some kind of child!" She shouted furiously. Her anger started to rise. Any longer, and she wouldn't be responsible for the damage she inflicted. This always happened because she was mentally unstable. The mere thought of having to return to her old life was unacceptable and frightening.

He could see Lightning was devastated. He had to approach her wisely else she'd stay emotionally distraught.

"I love you Lightning."

"Don't say that!"

Frustrated she did the only thing she knew how to do. She reacted instinctively, and roughly shoved Noctis, sending the surprised prince tumbling into the cold, sandy shore. She didn't even bother to help him up or apologize. She felt so exposed and vulnerable. He had mined all of the feelings that she had so desperately tried to conceal, and it irritated her. If this was how he wanted to play, she'd play as well. If he was going to play the gentle prince after her heart then she was going to be wicked bitch that protected it.

"You're the worst, do you know that Noctis?"

_Damn_.

Words never hurt him so much. Coming from her lips, those words were especially acerbic. They pierced and clenched his heart. He really screwed this one up, and he couldn't blame anyone; it was his fault for selfishly pressing his needs onto her. But shit, he felt like an absolute idiot for even trying to win her over when it was clear that she was unwilling and in such a fragile state of mind. As his guilty conscience continued to weigh on him, he watched her quickly retreat into the house.

_Damn it all!_

How was he going to fix this?

**xxx **

Morning came too soon.

The sun's bright rays burned her eyes, shining through the measly window curtains. She sat upright and sighed. For some reason, she felt terrible and she knew exactly why. In her emotional rampage, she had been a complete bitch last night. Noctis had done nothing to warrant her anger, yet she had pushed him roughly. She had to apologize, but not _now._ She still needed to take some time away from the dark-haired prince.

**CHING!**

The disturbing, metallic sound of the vault, being used to its greatest capacity, reverberated throughout the room. Dear Etro, what was Noctis doing? What could he possibly want that required the vault to be on its maximum setting?

**CHING! CLANK!**

Well whatever it was, she had no interest in finding out. He could toil all he wanted. He would get no help from her. No, she had better things to do.

**THUMP!**

"Ah shit!"

She heard Noctis curse and snorted somewhat evilly at his misfortune. Plucking a book from one of the shelves, she started reading and immersed herself in her thoughts, completely disregarding what the prince was up to. Of course, things didn't go as smoothly as planned. While she was reading, she would often feel agitated. She was so curious, wanting to know what Noctis was up, that she became restless. She tossed and turned, rolling over to the different sides of the bed. She hummed a light tune to pre-occupy herself, but it didn't help. Her traitorous thoughts would always drift back to Noctis.

An hour passed.

She hopped off of the bed and stood at the door, leaning against it, hoping to hear what he was doing. The vault was still in use, which meant that he still wasn't finished with whatever nonsense he was up to. What on Pulse could he possibly be trying to do?

Another hour passed.

She did a couple exercises.

A couple of hours passed.

She returned to bed, restless still, and continued reading from where she had left off. Why wasn't he coming for her? Dear Etro, why did she sound so pitiful? She sounded like a weak princess waiting for her prince. Her stomach churned at the thought.

As the sunlight thinned and vanished over the horizon, she set her thick novel aside. She had been reading for at least ten hours now. Ten hours, in which she would occasionally stand at her door to eavesdrop on whatever Noctis was doing. Right now, it seemed he had completely left the building, so she relocated to the living room, hoping to find hints of where he had ventured off to.

He couldn't possibly have left her, could he? Perhaps the materials that he had forced out of the vault were parts of a boat! That would explain the raucous noises that the vault had been making earlier. She sat on the couch anxiously. An intense, unexpected wave of loneliness passed over her, and she enveloped herself in a blanket. She was an idiot. She knew she should have apologized when she had the chance. Why did she always have to be so stubborn?

Suddenly, the door swung open. Her anxieties were washed away when she saw Noctis's dirtied and wet figure standing in the doorway. He looked like a homeless beggar, exhausted and weak. His luxurious, dark suit was completely tattered, and his hair, dear Etro, was full of sand. He was a mess.

She ran to his side.

"Noctis what's wrong? What happened? Where did you go?"

"I'm fine, _Light_."

"No you're not! You're soaking wet."

"It's fine. Listen to me, please," he begged. "I'm sorry Lightning. Can you forgive me for last night? I know I acted like a compl—"

"—No! If anyone should be apologizing, it's me. I'm sorry for shoving you like that… If there's anyway I could make it up to you…"

"You can," he replied. This was it. "Can you close your eyes for a bit?"

"Why?"

"Just _trust _me."

She nodded and did as he requested.

"Now take my hand," he gently grabbed her hands. "Don't open your eyes until I say so, okay?"

"Right."

He led her through the doorway and onto the beach. They walked for such a long time that she felt like they had circled the beach multiple times. By now, her curiosity was practically screeching at her to open her eyes, but she refused.

"We're here. You can open your eyes now."

Slowly drawing her eyelids open, she was greeted by the picture of Noctis standing in front of… Etro, how was this possible? W-What was this? Unable to process the sight before her, she buckled. Her knees gave out and she fell on them. Tears rushed out of her eyes uncontrollably. I-It was so beautiful. Words couldn't fully describe what she was seeing. The vast, endless ocean was littered with what seemed to be an infinite amount of bright, luminous stars—no… Paopu fruits!

She couldn't believe it…

It was a _sea_ of _stars_.

"In my Kingdom, they say that two people who share a Paopu fruit will remain a part of each other's lives forever."

He held out a Paopu fruit for her to take, "I love you Lightning… Will you share this fruit with me?" He asked with surprising conviction.

She rose slowly, "You did all of this for me? How much trouble did you go through? There's no way anyone could have possibly filled up an ocean, yet you _have_. That's why you're a mess, and that's why you've been using the vault all day, right? You've been taking out Paopu fruits. Why would you go through all of that… for me?"

"Because it was worth it. _You're _worth so much more than a day of labor," he replied earnestly. "Do you know what my greatest regret was before I died? My greatest regret was that I couldn't make people happy. My life was always about _me_, everyone catered to _my_ needs. I hated that, and I wanted to reciprocate these affections. And I think that's mainly the reason why I'm here with you. No matter what the outcome may be, in the end, all I want to do is make_ you_ happy. I would give a sea of stars just to see you smile."

Ending his dialogue, he wasn't expecting to be wholly embraced. Lightning wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against his chest. Touched by her gentle gesture, he smiled and kissed her on the head.

"Why?" She questioned weakly. "Why do you have to be so perfect?"

He shook his head and quietly wiped her tears away.

"It's not me, it's you."

"No, don't say that."

"Then we're both perfect."

"I love you Lightning," he repeated and would continue to do so as long as time allowed it.

"I don't want to leave you… We'll never see each other again. You live on Gaia and I live on Pulse, we're already worlds apart. Even then, if we do, by some miraculous act of Fate, meet again, we won't know each other. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

"Neither can I, but we have to do this. We can't keep living this lie," Noctis reassured, tucking her pink locks behind her ear. He stared straight into her eyes. "Listen to me… I love you, and I _will_ always love you no matter what obstacles may separate us. "

Tears poured out of both their eyes as they instinctively realized that their time together _had_ to end. For the first time in both their lives, they let their emotions reign free. Their love for one another completely overwhelmed their senses, freeing their minds from all physical restraints.

He cried.

She cried.

He held her tight, "I promise, even if the odds are a billion to one, I'll find you again."

Lightning nodded slowly against the crook of his neck, completely reassured by his sincere words. It was strange. Just a year ago, she would have never even thought of falling for someone, and here she was, wooed by the only man in the universe she truly cared for.

"No matter where or how I meet you, I'll fall in love with you."

She smiled optimistically.

"And even if you beat me up when we first meet, I'll still marry you. We'll have children together and we'll travel to Regnum and Cocoon. You'll never be alone again, I _promise_."

Hearing his words, she knew what she had to do. She stood up on her toes and kissed him. Mildly surprised, he regained his composure and returned the loving gesture, embracing her even tighter.

When they pulled away, she smiled.

"I love you _Noctis_."

He smiled. His heart soared as her proclamation finally sunk into his head. For some reason, he felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders. An extremely strong rush of emotions surged throughout his body, and he felt invincible. Those three incredible words had invigorated him. Once more, he held the Paopu fruit up.

Seeing the glowing fruit in his hands, she took it and chewed off a side, without hesitation.

"I love you _Noctis._"

"I love you _Lightning._"

The minute those words were said, Lightning disappeared, completely vanishing from the island. All that remained of her were footprints in the sand.

As he watched her fade into the real world, he held the remains of the Paopu fruit to his lips and inhaled its scent. Etro, it smelled just like her. Savoring her scent, he finished what was left of it and closed his eyes. No matter what the future held for him, he knew one thing was for sure—he would be reunited with Lightning.

With that exhilarating thought in mind, he stepped back, closing his eyes, and let his body fall.

His body never touched the sand.

The curtains fell first.

**xxx**

Bright.

Everything was too bright. The ceiling lights burned his eyes to an absolutely unbearable extent. Arduously, he moved his heavy cast-coated arms to shield his eyes. That effort lasted mere seconds as the energy it took, to keep his arms in that position, was too much to handle. Tossing his arms to the side, he groaned out load. Where the hell was he and why the hell did he feel like shit?

"Oh shit!"

He heard a familiar voice cry out.

"Hey yo! Everyone! Noctis is awake! Come here, right now!"

That voice. Prompto?

An outrageous face matted with messy, blond hair blocked his vision. For crying out loud, they were close enough to kiss. What was the idiot doing?

"NOCTIS!"

His friend obnoxiously embraced him, without taking into consideration that he was still in the process of recovering.

"W-What happened? Where am I?"

"Noctis!" Another voice shouted.

His two other close companions, Ignis and Gladiolus rushed into the room and ran to his bedside. Checking to see if he was in right state of mind, they quickly questioned him, asking him absurd questions such as "What's your name?" and "Is Prompto gay. If no, what have you done to Noctis?"

Prompto laughed, "It's so good to see you alive. You wouldn't believe how worried your father has been. He couldn't stand the thought of losing his only heir. He's been tearing his hair out for quite some time now. How are you feeling?"

"Like shit."

"That's to be expected, you got mowed over by a freakin' truck."

"That's right…" He groaned. Now that he remembered what had happened, his whole body throbbed uncomfortably. "How's Arthur?"

"He's already recovered. His wounds were way less severe than yours, and for an old man, Arthur's pretty durable."

"He's already recovered? How long have I been out?"

"A month."

"What the hell?"

To think that a month had passed by without him being in commission, he was thoroughly ashamed of himself. While he had been here, bedridden like a fool, his kingdom had been without a leader.

Ignis flicked him on the forehead, "Don't exert yourself. You've just woken up. Now's not the time to be thinking about your people. Heal up first then we'll deal with politics after."

"Where are we?" He questioned. "This isn't a hospital that I'm familiar with."

"We're at Hollow Bastion Medical Center," Prompto answered.

"So we're on another planet?

"Yeah, your father thought it was necessary for you to receive the best medical treatment there was. He wasn't going take any chances. He wouldn't even let the palace healers touch you. Of course, he also ordered us to accompany you, and we being your, BEST friends, accepted without hesitation."

"That's bullshit, Prompto!" Gladiolus laughed. "You only came because the king offered to pay us for coming."

"Shut the…"

Noctis smiled. His friends were the same as usual, bickering and fighting amongst themselves.

"Yo Noct," Prompto held out his Paopu fruit. "You should take this back. I found it in the car wreck, and I've got to say, the thing's invincible. There's not a single scratch on it."

He took the fruit and put it in his pocket.

"Ignis what planet are we on?"

"Kingdom Hearts. It's a planet known for its medical technology. The inhabitants have utilized a unique life essence that they call 'the Heartless' to cure people. And from the looks of it, their methods seem to have worked. You're not feeling strange, are you?"

"No. I feel perfectly fine."

"Well that's nice to know. Can you sit?"

Stretching his joints, he sat straight up, "Yeah."

"Can you stand?"

Pressing against the bed with his arms, he slid his legs out of the sheet and touched the cold, marble floor with his bare feet. Icy, prickles of feeling shot up his legs and made him shiver. He walked around the room to restore his leg muscles. There was no denying that he was weak. A month of inactivity would ruin anyone's physical health. Walking up to the hospital ward's metallic door, he slowly pulled it open.

"Hey yo!" Prompto shouted. "Where are you going Noctis?"

"I need air."

"I'll come with you."

"No, don't. I'm fine."

The blond was going to tag along regardless, but Ignis placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, telling him to let Noctis go.

"Go on then. Don't be gone for too long or else we're going to follow your sorry ass for the rest of your life."

"Right," he replied.

He slowly wandered the silent corridors like a lost phantom. Passing through different sections of Hollow Bastion's impressive medical wards, he examined the different layouts mindlessly. Putting it simply, he had no destination in mind; he went wherever his legs took him.

Suddenly exhausted, he chose to rest at the hospital's lounge, where groups of patients came to mingle with one another. He took an empty seat between two other patients and leaned back, basking in the lounge's calm, soothing ambience.

For some reason he had the urge to pull out his Paopu. He took it out from his pocket and rubbed its leathery coat with his thumb.

"That's an interesting thing you have there," the woman to his right pointed out silently. "What is it?"

"It's a Paopu fruit."

"So it's something you eat, right?"

"More or less," he replied. "They say that two people who share a Paopu fruit will remain a part of each other's lives forever. A bit cheesy and romantic, isn't it?"

"Heh, I wouldn't know, I'm not really someone who knows much about romance."

"Is that so?" He smiled. "Oh damn, where are my manners? My name is Noctis."

"Lightning," She replied and paused for a second before asking.

"_Have we met before_?"

**xxx**

— OST —  
><strong>My Most Precious Treasure <strong>by **_Girls Dead Monster_  
>Can't Believe It <strong>by **_Younha_**

A Sea of Stars — a story for **Henrietta Skylink, The SilverLight, **and **Cam277**


	3. Family

for **nie261,** who loves Lightis babies :D  
>for <strong>Ashelia<strong> Lucis Caelum, tu es la meilleure~  
>for <strong>Misoso<strong>, whose personality inspired my Lightis babies  
>for<strong> YouKnowMewFTW<strong>, who's a great Lightis babies writer!  
>for <strong>quasi una fantasia<strong>, whose inspiration went a long way**  
><strong>

A/N: The story is incomplete, more details below!

* * *

><p><strong>Family<br>**by _Eel Nivek_

• • • • • •

"O-Oh… Noctis!"

"Come for me, _love._"

Lucia Caelum tossed the bed covers away from the bed and gritted her teeth as the sound of her parents' _loud_, heated lovemaking rang throughout the entire palace. _For Etro's sake, it was three AM!_ Did her parents have no sense of shame?

This was exactly the reason she had asked her father repeatedly to sound proof the palace walls. No one, especially her, since her room was next to her parents', could get any sleep when they decided to go on their horny rampages, which occurred quite often, too often for her tastes. Honestly though, wasn't her mother tired of having children? One would think that with the recent addition of baby Serenity to family, her mother would be tired, but apparently that wasn't case.

"YES!"

_Dear Etro…_

This was getting worse by the minute.

Mortified by the lewd sounds her mother was making, she slipped on a nightgown and snuck into the hallway. She walked to her youngest sibling, Serenity's room and opened the door. The sight that greeted her made her smile. Sleeping on the ground, next to Serenity's crib, was her older sister, Ana, her twin, Lucien, and her youngest brother, Luciel. It seemed she wasn't the only one that was terrorized by her parents' uncontrollable sexual urges.

She grabbed a mattress from one the shelves and laid it on the floor. Her siblings had established a system where they would sleep in Serenity's room when their parents got out of hand. Being the furthest room down the hall, Serenity's pink nursery room was the perfect haven for them. The size of the room, like all others in the palace, could accommodate up to twenty people, so they weren't worried about being crammed together.

"Luka?"

Lucia turned towards the baby crib and found little Serenity wide awake.

"Serenity what are you doing?" She whispered loudly. "It's way passed your bed-time, go to sleep!"

"Luka!" Her little sister chirped happily.

"Shh! Be quiet or else you'll wake everyone up. You don't want to wake up Ana, do you? She's really scary when she's angry, right?"

"Nana?" Serenity cooed, referring to the eldest Caelum sibling.

"Yes Ana, now go back to sleep."

"Luka hungy."

Dear Etro.

"You're hungry now? It's three AM, please don't do this to me. All of the palace cooks are sleeping, and I can't cook, you know that! Do you really want to eat an explosive peanut butter jelly sandwich? That's right, you don't!"

The corners of Serenity's chubby cheeks sagged downwards.

_No. No. No. No. Please don't cry!_

"WAIT Seren—"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Lucia could only shake her head as the room slowly came to life. Lucien and Luciel groaned and tossed their pillows over their heads, trying to mute Serenity's sonic screech ability. Ana, on the other, woke right up and took the youngest Caelum sibling into her arms.

"Jeez Serenity… It's three in the morning," Ana sighed, straightening her long blond hair. "I think your alarm clock settings have been tinkered with. Uhnn… What do you want?"

"Food!"

"Food..? It looks like I have no choice then… I'll ask Excess to make you something."

"Nana's pincé?"

"Yes, my _fiancé_."

Watching with an envious heart, Lucia sighed as her older sister whisked Serenity away. Ana was a hundred years older than she was. Although a hundred years was enormous in terms of the human lifespan, it was nothing in terms of the Demon lifespan. To the other members of the supernatural race, Ana was still a young adult, who had just reached the suitable age for marriage. Yet after observing her older sister, she felt a bit jealous of the level of maturity she showed. Unlike Lucien, who would tell Serenity to "shut the hell up" or Luciel, who would go crying to their mother, Ana patiently tended to Serenity's needs.

Exhausted, Lucia flopped onto the mattress and buried her face in her pillow. With Serenity out of the way, she could finally enjoy a good night's rest.

• • •

Mornings at the Caelum dinner table were quite interesting.

Lucia picked at her scrambled eggs lazily as the rest of her family slowly made their ways to their designated table seats. She watched with mild irritation as her father shamelessly took his seat at the head of the table, with a rare grin on his face.

"Papa!" Serenity giggled and extended her arms so he could cuddle her.

Their father smiled his trademark Caelum smile and took Serenity into his arms. Lucia could only glare as her father continued ignoring her.

"Papa. Mama?" her youngest sister asked innocently.

Her father kissed her sister on the cheek and answered, "Mama's very tired, doll. She did a lot of exercising last night, so she can't have breakfast with us today."

_Exercise? Don't make me laugh!_ Lucia scoffed, angered by her father's blatant lies.

"What kind of exercises, father?" Ana joined in, testing their father's ability to tell lies. Obviously, he wouldn't say he had sex with their mother in front of little Serenity. That would only result in the youngest sibling pestering them and asking what "sex" was. And if their mother ever found out that Serenity was already spewing words about sex then people were going to get seriously maimed, starting with their father.

"Very _fun_ exercises, sweetheart," he answered, confidently accepting the challenge posed by his eldest daughter. "In fact, they were so fun she told me was going to do them again, _tonight_."

Lucien and Luciel's groans rang across the table. Their father ignored their complaints and grinned like the evil sire he was.

"Dad stop having sex with mom!" Luciel interrupted. "Do you know how hard it is for us to sleep at night? Mom is so loud, it's unbearable!"

"Papa. Wush sex?" Serenity questioned.

Their father choked on his orange juice and started beating his chest lightly. Ana shook her head and sighed while Lucia snickered. Their father was so dead once their mother found out what sorts of words Serenity had learned.

"Serenity," Luciel called out. "Sex is when two peop—"

"AH AH!" Their father stood and clasped his hands over Luciel's mouth then whispered, "Boy, if you want that PlayStation for Christmas, I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

And that was the end of Ciel's little rebellion.

However, Ana was not as easy to please. The eldest Caelum sibling, known throughout the kingdom for her cunning, smiled maliciously and flipped her blond hair over her shoulders.

"Serenity sweety, do you want to know what sex is?"

Serenity nodded innocently.

Noctis cursed softly. He had no means of stopping his eldest daughter. There was absolutely no chance that Serenity would _not_ run her mouth off in front of her mother, meaning he'd be the one to take the blame. If he didn't do something quick then his life was over. He glared at Ana, who smiled mischievously in return. _Don't you dare…_ He mentally growled at his daughter.

_Oh please_. Ana scoffed, ignoring her father's infamous glare that was known for causing grown men to wet their pants.

"Serenity sex is w—"

Her explanation was interrupted as a deathly, shadowy figure as dark as night grabbed her and whisked her up, bridal style.

"W-W-What," Ana stammered in shock, her elegant composure now gone.

"Serenity," the figure spoke in a velvety, aristocratic, tone. "Sex is what Ana and I are going to be having _very_ soon."

"W-W-Wait! E-Excess! We can't do this now! I'm too tired. I didn't get any sleep last night!" Ana tried to protest, but the look on her fiancé's face told her that she would not get her way.

"No excuses," the tall, dark-haired male replied, cutting off Ana's protests with a quick kiss. "Father, with your permission, Ana and I will take our leave."

Noctis looked at his son-in-law and nodded his head. Normally, he would have gone into a possessive fit; however, letting Excess have his way with Ana was the perfect way to rid himself of having to deal with her.

"She's all yours."

"Daddy!" Ana shrieked, powerless in the hands of her soon to be husband.

Chuckling like the demon lord he was, Noctis pretended that he couldn't hear her desperate cries for help. His daughter had paid the price for putting him on the spot. This lesson would serve as a reminder for her that not even his children could defeat him in a battle of wit. With Ana gone, he turned and looked at the rest of his children, daring them pull to anything.

Lucia fumed in her seat and stabbed at her potatoes with her fork. She wanted to do something; she didn't want her father to reign over her, but she couldn't do anything about it. Her father wasn't a formidable lord for no reason.

"Lucia sweetheart, don't play with your food."

She cursed silently as her father shot her an all-knowing smirk. Unable to come up with a tactic to embarrass her father, she turned her attentions toward the enormous television set situated on a counter next to the dining table.

_"Just recently, several human beings were found entering and robbing several demon red-light districts. According to the several witnesses, it seems that an unknown group of humans has banded together to commit these crimes towards the demon populace…"_

"What a joke," Lucien laughed. "Those little shit humans won't even last a week."

Her brother was right. Although humans had strength in numbers, demons were vastly superior in every aspect: technology, genetics, and intelligence. Not only that, but demons could also live a hundred times longer than a healthy human could. In essence, demons were immortal; they didn't suffer from sickness humans could have their fun for as long as it lasted. In the end, they would lose and be punished for it.

"Watch your tongue Lucien," their father scolded icily. Lucien murmured an apology in an instant, not wanting to anger him. Being _the_ demon lord and head of the underground mafia, their father was a frightening and dangerous man. He had millions of loyal subordinates that would do his bidding without fail. Even now, there were at least a several hundred men stationed at the Caelum palace. Of course even though their father was known as an infamous, ruthless mob leader, he would never lay a single hand on them.

Lucia watched as her father silently toyed with Serenity's long black hair. The smile on his face didn't suit his character, mainly because he never showed any emotions to anyone outside of their family.

"However…" Her father continued. "You are correct in one sense, Lucien. Humans are worthless creatures that do not deserve to live."

"But mom is human," Lucia pointed out. "Which obviously makes us _half_ human."

"Yes, it is a shame, but your mother is the _only_ exception."

"How does that even work in the first place?" Ciel questioned. "Dad, you never told us how you met mom. Everyone with at least half a brain knows that you can't stand the sight of humans. What in the world could have possibly convinced you to chase after mom? I mean, she is super-hot and all, but she is _human_. Were there any murder attempts you haven't told us about?"

"None," their father replied.

Lucia sat straight up, "Then can you at least tell us how you two met? Love at first sight? First date? Dad, we're not going to let you leave until you tell us!"

"Eat your food, princess."

"Dad, I'm _ninety_ years old, you have to stop calling me a princess! Gosh… It's so embarrassing!"

Too further prolong her embarrassment, Ciel spoke in a high-pitched mock voice, "Heeeey everybody! It's the fairy princess, Lucia! Look at her wings, they're so shin—OOF! YEOW!"

Luciel clutched his throbbing shin and glared at his older sister.

In the midst of her elder sibling's chaos, little Serenity turned to face her father. Jumping and lightly tapping her father's broad chest, she tried to get his attention.

"Papa, meet mama?" She awkwardly phrased the question, trying to continue the work her two sisters had given up on.

Noctis looked down at his precious, cuddly daughter, who was tucked comfortably in between his thigh, and felt a wave of foreign emotions surge through his chest. There had been only a few times when he had wanted to throw his arms around another being and suffocate them with his affection. This was one of them. His little daughter was so… dare he say the word? Cute. It almost seemed impossible that such a little bundle of innocence could be his child.

"Why don't you ask your mother?" He replied, kissing her on the forehead.

"Ask me what?"

A voice inquired. Turning his head at the doorway, he nearly fainted, seeing the sight of his lovely wife so scantily dressed in her nightgown. His mouth watered at the sight of her. _Round 2?_ He questioned, mentally flirting with her.

As if receiving his naughty message, Lightning bit her lips and nodded.

The perverted gesture did not go unnoticed. Lucien and Luciel, who were already much too aware of these dirty exchanges between their parents, groaned. Lucien, who was naturally possessive and indubitably a mother's boy, no matter how much he denied it, growled at his mother's lack of attire. Luciel, however, just wanted his father to stop eyeing his mother as if she were a T-bone steak.

Slamming his fists on the table, in a dramatic display of anger, Lucien rose to his feet, showing off his tall, impressive body frame.

"Mother!" He addressed formally. "Please put on some clothes and show some decency. You attire is unfit for a lady of your station!"

Seeing the flushed look on her little, big boy's face, Lightning smiled and gently rubbed the bottom of his chin. Placing her hands on the sides of his face, she brought him down and kissed him on the nose.

"Now, now Lucien. I know you love me baby, but you don't have to be so protective of me. That's your father's job."

"But he does nothing!" Lucien complained, looking down at his mother, who was a good head shorter than he was. "And do not call me a_ baby_, I'm—"

"Ninety years old," his mother finished. "Yes, yes. I realize that, but not matter how big you are or how many children you have, I don't care if you're the general of the demon army, you will _always_ be my baby. Now, sit down and finish your breakfast."

Pride slightly tarnished, Lucien took one last look at his mother's precious figure before shirking away. _Damn it all… _His father was the luckiest man on the planet.

"Mama!" Serenity squealed happily. "Hug mama!"

Lightning's heart melted at the sight of her youngest daughter holding her arms out and asking for a hug. She wasted no time in sweeping her daughter up and twirling her around the room. The sounds of Serenity's laughter made her smile.

"Mama. Q-Qwesstion."

"What is it sweety? What do you want to ask mommy?" She replied.

Serenity turned to her father for approval. Noctis nodded.

"Wush sex?"

_WHAT?_

Lightning couldn't believe her ears. She was so shocked that she nearly dropped her daughter. Somebody was teaching Serenity bad things. Like an extremely enraged mother, she glared at Noctis, who, for the second time, choked on his drink. _What. Was. That? _She angrily demanded, asking her husband for an explanation.

Noctis gasped for air and flailed in his chair, not liking the murderous look on his wife's face. That little demon! He looked at Serenity and swore that he saw the ghost of a wicked smile on her face. He couldn't believe his eyes. He had been played by a child, his own daughter no less! From the corner of his eyes, he saw Lucia and Luciel exchange happy looks of satisfaction, while Lucien kept his amusement concealed. It seemed all his children wanted him out of the picture.

"I can explain!" He shouted in one last attempt to save himself.

"Mama," Serenity cut in. "Daddy said mama bad at sex."

"That's absurd!"

"Honey, we need to talk." Lightning growled, wagging her finger. "Now!"

Lucia snickered silently, as did her siblings, at the rare sight of their fearful, notorious father being dragged into the main bedroom by the ear. She walked over towards her little sister and gave her a hug.

"Good job Serenity!"

_"No pwobrem."_

• • •

**Knock! Knock!**

"Ana are you in there?" Lucia shouted into the door of her elder sister's room. "Hello. Ana we need t—"

A tall figure slipped through the doorway, blocking her view of Ana's room. Excess. She glared at her elder sister's fiancé, whose shirt was parted down the middle, showing his chiseled chest. His hair was a mess and his skin appeared to be slightly wet. Excess was one of her father's highly regarded men. He had come from the slums and earned her father's attention by assassinating high priority political figures. His past was a bloody one and even to this day, his sadistic appreciation for torture showed through the way he butchered his victims. Thank Etro, he was on her side. She couldn't even begin to think about how frightening it would be, if he was her enemy.

"How can I be of service to you, milady?" He asked in a borderline teasing voice.

Lucia tossed her blue hair over her shoulder, "Is my sister in there?"

"And if she is?"

"Answer me you worthless commoner!" Lucia growled, irritated by his overflowing cockiness. She wanted to slap that smug look off of his face. Etro, why was Ana getting married to this… insufferable… piece of…

Violet eyes shining brightly, Excess let out an amused chuckle, "Very well. Yes, milady, lady Ana is in her room; however, I would advise you, if I may, that she is not in the condition to be talking to others. I suggest you allow her to _recover_ from… well… _you _know."

"Step aside."

"As you wish."

Sensing Excess's presence vanish from the building, Lucia walked into Ana's room and immediately noticed that the temperature was hotter than usual. A warm blush lit up her face.

"Ana?"

"Unhhh…" Came the exhausted response.

She found Ana lying in the middle of her bed, tangled up in the bed sheets. By observing the way her sister had a hard time adjusting her legs, Lucia assumed that Ana had overindulged herself and paid the price for her lust. Well, there was that and then there was also the fact that Excess was literally a sex demon. Demons like Excess were genetically and specifically created to make love. Consequently, Excess was more than a skilled lover. Ana knew that first hand.

"Are you okay?"

Face still buried in her pillow, Ana shook her head.

"Well it's your fault. You're the one who decided to marry that guy. It's only natural that he's going to want to have sex with you. Are you happy now?"

"Lucia… I'm really tired now. Can't you bother me later?"

"Oh alright, I'll let you rest, but I just came to let you know that all of us are going to be meeting in the library in three hours. You better be there, we found something really interesting."

"Mmm… Is that so? Sounds lovely," Ana sighed weakly.

"You have to be there!"

"Alright. Alright!"

• • •

The Caelum household library was one of the world's greatest wonders. It was home to over a hundred thousand ancient books, manuscripts and records. Quite often, tourists and local citizens came to visit and peruse through the grand collection. For that reason, security guards were normally present, but on this day, the enormous library was closed to the public. In the center of the main chambers were the five Caelum children.

"What are we looking for again?" Ciel scratched his head.

Flipping through one of her books, Lucia replied, "There should be a page in one of these textbooks called _Family Legacy_. One of the elder librarians told me that if we found that, we'd be able to find out how mom and dad met."

"Why don't we just ask mom?" Ana suggested. "I know dad won't tell us, but mom probably would, wouldn't she?"

"But there's no fun in that," Lucia answered. "Obviously, mom and dad both don't want us to know how they met. If we found out on our own, it'd be more thrilling. Now less yapping and more flipping!"

"Hn," Lucien scoffed, standing on his feet. "This is a waste of my time. I'm out of here."

"Wait! Wait!" Ciel shouted. "I found it! Look over here." The blue-haired Caelum sibling excitedly waved an old, dusty textbook around. He pointed to the title of the page he was on. The words _Family Legacy_ were clearly printed on the center followed by a small set of words underneath.

_Oh solemn night, show us what we seek.  
>Inject us into the eyes that last, take us into our grand lineages past.<em>

"Okay…" Ciel mumbled. "That's not exactly what I think we were looking for. Maybe there's another page over here that—WOAH!"

Ciel shot to his feet as the room started spinning uncontrollably. The rest of his siblings did the same; however, they were all tossed to the floor as the spinning accelerated. What in the world was going on? He gasped for air as his back hit the wall. His vision started to blur. The objects before his eyes were moving so fast that he couldn't get a grasp of what they were. It almost felt like he was in the center of a nasty hurricane.

"NANAAA!" He heard Serenity scream.

"Serenity!"

"Lucia take my hand!" Lucien shouted, trying to grab his twin.

They spun for what seemed like hours until, suddenly, everything stopped.

Ciel landed on the dirt roughly. Thankfully, he hadn't broken any bones. Rubbing his bruised legs, he stood and gasped. _Where the hell are we? _

Everywhere he looked, he saw nothing but miles and miles of a droll, barren wasteland. Someone had to be pulling his leg or this had to be a nightmare because there was no way that all of _this_ was possible. What was going on?

"U-Uh guys," he stuttered. "Was it just me or did anyone else get caught in that random, huge tornado? Guys?"

Feeling something tug at the bottom of his pants, he found Serenity looking up at him with teary eyes.

"N-Nana, Luka, Luken b-bye bye." She cried uncontrollably.

Serenity was right. There was no trace of his brother and sisters. The hurricane or whatever the hell it was had separated them and quite frankly had also destroyed their palace and everything surrounding it. He still couldn't believe what was going on. A few minutes ago, everything had been fine. They were peacefully reading books in the palace library until a freakin' hurricane decided to drop by. _I don't even know… _And now he was stuck, all alone, with his youngest sister. He couldn't fend for himself. How in the hell was he supposed look out for his little sister, THE Serenity Caelum, THE unabashedly most spoiled girl in the world?

"Don't cry Serenity, everything's going to be okay!" He tried to comfort his sister.

Serenity didn't reply. She was too busy staring at a black mob of men running their way. All of a sudden, the dark sky lit up in a flash of red and blue lights. The sound of police sirens drew closer. From his perspective, it seemed like the mob of men were being pursued by the cops. Ciel took Serenity by the hand, ready to run if the situation called for it.

As the men were now merely a few feet away, he grabbed Serenity and hoisted her into his arms. This was bad. He had to make a break for it before he got involved in all of this nonsense, confusing as hell, drama. He didn't get very far before he and the mob of Mafioso men were surrounded by squadrons upon squadrons of police vehicles.

"Put your hands up!" A familiar, harsh voice demanded.

The mob men did as they were ordered to, not wanting to anger this impressive, armed police force. One of the men even looked like he was going to wet his pants.

An armored figure, who he assumed was the captain of the police forces, emerged from the line of shield-bearing troops. The man was more than well-armed. He was suited from head to toe with bulletproof material. At his hip was a metallic saber'ish thingy and in his hands was a rifle, which he aimed directly at him.

"Drop the weapon!" The captain ordered harshly.

_Weapon…? _He wasn't holding anything! Oh… Never mind. The captain had mistaken Serenity's small frame from sort of weapon.

"L-Lucy scary…" Serenity buried her head into his chest. "Reni go home now."

"Hold on tight Serenity," he ordered. Slowly dropping to his knees in a gesture of surrender, he bolted to his left once he saw the captain lower his rifle. The police squadrons opened fire. Bullets flew at him from all directions, but his demon speed and perception made dodging a simple task.

"All units apprehend the men we've already surrounded. I'll take the escapee," he heard the captain say.

_Well good luck with that!_ He scoffed as the police were already fading from his sight. Using the tactics that his mother had taught him, he took refuge in a crowded slum. _Look for the building most inconspicuous, yet noticeable in plain view. _His mother would tell him. He barged into the qualified building and set Serenity down on the floor as soon as he made sure it was unoccupied.

"Lucy! Lucy!" His sister yelled.

"Shh Serenity, there are bad people after us! If you keep shouting they're going to take me away from you. Do you want that?"

"No. No!"

_But man…_ _Seriously… What the hell was going on_? He must have asked himself that question hundreds of times now. Shifting his legs around, he froze at the subtle sound of a pebble being crushed. His demon hearing then caught onto the sound of movement, but he couldn't tell if it was hostile or not. _It could be some child walking by… Or it could be… _The sound a metallic weapon being prepped rang loudly.

_SHIT!_

He made a mad dash for Serenity and covered his arms around her as the wall he had leaned against exploded into a shower of debris. From the dust emerged the figure of the police captain. _How the hell did he find me? _He thought as he propelled himself onto his feet.

"Lucy beat bad person!" Serenity howled, frightened for her life.

His sister was right. He had no choice now. They were backed into a corner with no way of escaping, and quite honestly, he was fucking tired of running away. Flexing his claws and baring his proud, Caelum fangs, he prepared to attack. _The guy had better be ready._ He was going to rain Hell down on him.

Eyes flashing dangerously red, he quickly charged at the captain. The human's reaction was too slow. The captain couldn't match his demon speed. Taking advantage of their unfortunate mismatch, Ciel swept his leg under the captains, bringing the man onto the floor. Normally, he was less careless, but he had assumed that since the captain was human, the battle was over.

It wasn't over.

The captain slid his legs and countered, with the grace of a cat. Nearly knocked onto his back, Ciel recovered and struck at the captain's helmet in an attempt to render the man unconscious. However, his fist simply clipped the side of the helmet, completely shattering it.

Ciel staggered backwards as if someone had punched him in the gut.

The familiar voice.

The way that the captain had tracked him down.

It hadn't been a coincidence.

Everything made sense now.

Staring into the painfully beautiful face of his mother, he froze, completely unable to believe what he was seeing.

Shocked for at least the tenth time today, he tried to make sense of what was going. Why was his mother a cop? And why did she look a lot younger than she normally did? Trying to make sense of things, he jerked violently as a painful surge of electricity struck his right ribcage. Numb and weak, he flopped onto the floor, lifeless.

All he could do was watch as his mother stood up, holding a black taser in her hand.

_Shit…_ He cursed silently as his body shut down.

• • •

"Where are we?"

Lucia's head was killing her. Feeling the cold, rocky ground beneath her, she realized that she wasn't in the palace library. No, this place, wherever it was, was too disgusting and filthy to be anywhere remotely near the palace. Then she understood why the room was so rotten. It was a prison cell. Everywhere she looked, she could only see dark bricks and dusty cobwebs.

"Lucia!" She heard Ana whisper.

Adjusting her eyes to the unending miles of darkness, she peered through her cell and found her older sister trapped in the cell in front of her.

"Ana! What's going on? Where is everybody!"

"Lucien's in this cell with me, and I don't know where Ciel or Serenity are. They could be trapped somewhere else in whatever this place is."

"SILENCE!"

Lucia jumped at the new intrusive voice. Heart pounding furiously, she saw an intimidating mob man walking towards them with a big gun in his hands.

"Get out," he ordered roughly, pointing the gun at her.

"She can't you dumb piece of shit," she heard Lucien mock. "Why don't you open the cell first, genius?"

Angered, the guard turned to the other cell and stuck his gun through the bars. "What the hell did you say to me, brat?"

Lucien chuckled.

"Nice gun," was all he said before all hell broke loose.

Grabbing the guard's arm before he could react, Lucien snapped it at the elbow, earning himself a loud shriek of pain. He wasn't done. He pulled the guard towards him so that the mob man's face was pressed against the bars. Taking the keys from the man's waist, he knocked the guard out with a bone-shattering punch to the face.

Fumbling with keys, Lucien hissed when something hit him on the head.

"What the hell was that for?" he yelled at his oldest sister.

Ana glared in return, "Did you really have to break his arm?"

"Ever the pacifist," he sneered. "And yes, the fool deserved it."

Finally freed, Lucia followed her siblings up a winding staircase. Just the interior design of the prison reminded her of a medieval movie. So far there hadn't been a trace of electricity. In fact, the staircase was poorly lit by a couple of torches.

They were almost towards the top when suddenly a loud siren or bell started to ring. An alarm.

"Damn it, Lucien!" Ana hit her brother again. "You should have knocked him out sooner!"

"Oh shut the hell u—"

"GUYS!" Lucia interrupted. "This is NOT the time to be fighting. There's a large group of men headed our way, and by the looks of it, they're all armed and deadly."

Peeking through the door hole, she realized that their "prison cell" was only a small part of a large building. It was a dungeon or what some would call a basement. They were still very much trapped inside the enormous building, mansion, palace, or whatever.

A barricade of armed men surrounded the entrance. They were completely trapped. They couldn't come back from where they came from because the staircase had also been shut down. The only way out was straight and straight meant death.

The courtyard began to swirl. A menacing figure was approaching.

Lucia braced herself for the new enemy's appearance. In a dramatic explosion of dark fire, a pale, wraith-like figure emerged at the head of the mob members. This man, with his exquisitely violet eyes, was no doubt the leader. _But wait…_

"Excess!" Ana shouted, bolting through the doors without thinking.

"Ana no!" Lucia screamed. _That idiot! _

Ana ran blindly towards her fiancé, but if she had really been paying attention, she would have noticed that Excess wasn't really Excess. No, the man standing in courtyard was much more feral and dangerous than the man that was her fiancé. Looking at Excess's murderous eyes and sensing his hideous bloodlust, Lucia immediately realized what was going on. That man was Excess, but he also wasn't. This was Excess in his prime. This was him, centuries before any of them were born. They were in the past. Whatever book Ciel had read had sent them back in time, a time when Excess was widely known for his cruelty.

Spirits raised at the sight of her lover, Ana continued to run towards him until gunshots rang, pelting the ground in front of her. Terrified and confused, she dropped to her knees with her hands behind her head.

"Well? What have we here?" Excess sneered at the pathetic sight of the blond-haired prisoner trembling at his feet. He gave her a thorough examination with his eyes and found that she was a lovely woman.

"E-Excess!"

He snapped, grabbing her by the chin, "You would dare address me so informally? You simple-minded whore?"

Taking a good look at her heaving mounds, he licked his lips and grabbed them with both of his hands. "Nice rack."

Lucia and Lucien, who had watched the exchange from the sidelines, balled their fists. Although she was the eldest, Ana had never been trained in combat. Their father refused to train her for some reason. Whenever Ana begged for lessons, he would always say that her wit was her greatest weapon. But now, her wit was gone from the shock of seeing the violent side of her fiancé. It was up to them to save her.

"You know Lucien, I've always wanted to beat that jerk up. What do you say?"

"Beat?" Lucien snarled, conjuring a broadsword. "I'm going to kill him."

"Maybe if we kill him here, we won't have to deal with his arrogant ass when we get back to the present," Lucia mused.

The two twins charged at their sister's fiancé, with a vengeance like none others. Excess turned his attention to the rapidly approaching figures. Flipping out a set of daggers, he parried a blow from a greatsword and a jab from a rapier.

He stabbed, with vicious killing intent, but came short. His opponents were too quick. The satisfaction of having such a long fight thrilled him. Normally, his opponents were dead in seconds, but these two knew how to fight. They were more skilled than anyone he had ever faced before.

As the fighting drew on, the palace courtyard became more and more desecrated. The grand fountain had become a chunk of stone, spewing water in all directions. The ornamented flowers now resembled crab grass. By now, the number advantage began to show. Excess's movements were sluggish and his breathing was ragged, whereas the Caelum twins were far from spent.

Noticing this, Lucia went in for the kill, side-stepping a clever slash and lunging forward. She would have landed the finishing-blow had it not been for an intrusion.

Suddenly as if the courtyard hard been robbed of its oxygen, she found it impossible to breath. Her lungs constricted as she fell to the floor, weak and immobile. She tried to push herself up, but it was useless. It was as if the weight of the entire world was pressed against her, and it hurt.

Gasping for air, with tears frustration running down her cheeks, she turned her head and found Lucien in the same position, minus the tears. _That would be awkward…_

As the two twins struggled to move, the presence, the owner of this terrifying aura, drew closer. His footsteps grinded against the courtyard pebbles, making the wait even more excruciating.

Lucia shook uncontrollably. There was no mistaking who this person was. She had felt this same aura once before. It happened when she was Serenity's age. Mom had taken them out to a luxurious, Caelum owned restaurant. Of course, as the situation called, their mother had dressed up, which earned her the attention of entire male populace that night. An idiot even tried to make a move on her, and he did, boldly grabbing her by the wrist. She remembered that night as clear as day. Mom was about to annihilate the man, when their father arrived…

Their father.

_This was very bad._

Using what little energy she had in her, she raised her neck upwards and found herself staring into the icy-blue eyes of her father's younger self. And he did not look happy.

Grabbing both of them by their collars, their father dragged them upright. Lucia gagged. The strain on her neck nearly caused her spine to snap.

"Who are you?" He demanded silently, his face a perfect mask devoid of emotions. "Were you the ones who intercepted my men?"

_Men? _Lucia thought. _What in the world is he talking about?_

It was Ana who spoke up.

"Daddy, stop it!" She shouted, hugging their father around the waist. "W-What's wrong with everybody?"

"A-Ana!" Lucia managed to cough out. "He won't listen to you. Get away from him. That's not dad!"

"Are you blind!" Ana shrieked. Tears rolled down her pale face. "Isn't it obvious that it's da—"

"ANA LISTEN TO ME! We've gone into the past! This isn't the dad we know!" Lucia screamed forcefully. By now, the pressure on her neck was unbearable. She was losing consciousness fast.

"Dad?" Their father scowled. "I have no children, and you would be sorely mistaken, if you truly believed I would rut with a human woman and produce such despicable _half-breeds._"

"Please let go of them d-dad…" Ana pleaded. After hearing what Lucia had to say, she realized that her little sister was right. Her reason had returned to her.

"Hn." Their father tossed them aside like rag dolls. "I won't ask you again. Answer me before my patience runs dry. Where is the package you took?"

Lucia and Lucien stood slowly and gathered their weapons. They were a bit exhausted from their earlier bout with Excess. Regardless, even fully rested, there was still no way in Hell that they could beat their father. The odds were non-existent, but they had to try.

They charged in unison as they always did. Their father swatted them aside like flies and the look on his face told them that he wasn't even trying.

_Damn him!_ Lucia gritted her teeth as she hit the floor for the fourth time in a row.

"W-Why can't we touch him?" Lucien groaned. "When we sparred with father, he wasn't nearly as tough."

"That's the thing," Lucia replied. "When we _sparred_ with father. Do you think dad would deliberately try to harm us?"

"So you're saying he was holding back every time we fought with him?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you?"

Lucia and Lucien staggered to their feet. Backed into a corner, they had only one option left. Holding one arm out in front of them, they prepared a spell, one their father taught them, only to be used when nothing else could. _The power of the Crystals, the trademark of the Caelum family._

In an instant, both twins were surrounded by thousands and thousands of brilliant, blue swords. Their bodies lit up in a holy aura and the rocks around them shifted at the magnitude of their auras.

For the first time in many years, Noctis Lucis Caelum, the ruthless leader of the underground mafia, was dumbstruck. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This couldn't be… That power, the ability to manipulate the Cryas swords, belonged solely to him. Only he knew its secrets, and only he could pass it unto others… which meant…

There was no doubt about now. It was absurd. From the future? What a load of bullshit. As much as it pained him, he realized that these children were really his. What the hell had his future-self turned into? _Some pitiful human-loving weakling it seems. _The thought of lying with a human woman sickened him to his very core.

Angered, he summoned his own Cryas swords and charged, giving the pair no time to react. The girl was the weak one. By the way she constantly lowered her guard, he knew that she was still hesitant to fight him. He took advantage of that.

Blasting the boy aside with a flurry of swords, he swept the girl from under her feet, causing her to land on her head. The impact nearly knocked her unconscious. He brought his sword down in a quick arc, but the girl parried the blow.

_Impressive._

Having recovered, the boy attacked this time, coming for him at his side. Noctis side-stepped and softly tapped the boy on the back, sending him to floor by his own momentum. They were highly-skilled he had to admit, far more skilled than most of his men.

Normally, he would end the fight right there, but he was thoroughly amazed by the spirit and fight in the pair. Their eyes told him that they wouldn't back down, not even to him.

_No matter, the fight is over. _He thought.

"My lord!" A new voice interrupted.

Noctis temporarily turned his attention toward his subordinate," What?" He growled.

"Our sources have found the culprit responsible for taking your package," the subordinate replied. "Currently, the package is in the hands of the police captain, Lightning Farron."

Lucien and Lucia's ears perked up at the mention of their mother's name. _You have got to be kidding me, _Lucia thought in utter mortification. _Dad and Mom are enemies? _She looked at her twin and her older sister, and knew, just by the looks on their faces, that they were thinking the same thing. It was shocking. It really was.

"That woman has my package?" Noctis clenched in teeth in anger. The Farron bitch must have gotten some Intel on his package and known of its worth. He knew it was a mistake to let her live. He had never met her; he had only heard of her heroics, and was amused of her sense of justice. He had kept her alive only for that reason, but now she had treaded too far.

"Send _all_ of the men after her, and bring her back to me, _alive," _he ordered icily. "I want you to retrieve the package as well. Call my generals, and make sure they receive these orders."

"Y-Yes, but sir. What if the police interfere?"

"And what if they do?" he shot the question right back at his subordinate. "I said I want _all _of my men after her. That means I want every street gang, every drug cartel, and every mob family in allegiance to me to act."

"S-Sir, this means war."

"No."

"Surely the police or the army won't turn blind eyes to this massive deployment of our forces."

"They will," he replied nonchalantly. "Every corrupt police and military officer on Pulse swears their allegiance to me. All it takes is a single call to control them all."

Reassured by his notorious leader's words, the subordinate turned to leave.

"Wait."

"Y-Yes sir?"

"Make sure you bring the woman back to me, in one piece. If there's as much as a single scratch on her, I'll tear your throat out and feed your eyes to the dogs." Noctis hissed venomously. "I want her to be in perfect condition before I torture her to death in front of the public. Is that understood?"

"O-Of course, sir!" The subordinate replied instantly, and left the courtyard before his leader could carry out his threat.

"Excess," Noctis called out.

"Yes sir," Excess materialized next to his leader.

"Follow him, and make sure he does as I say."

"It will be done," Excess bowed before vanishing.

Off in the sidelines, Lucia let loose a strangled cry, which sounded like a baby bird's dying wail. Her left arm was broken and her body was so bruised that she could barely move. She had heard everything her father had said and she wanted desperately to do something. Her mother was mere minutes away from assaulted by thousands of lethal and armed men. And she knew, even though they weren't stupid enough to entirely disobey her father's command, the men would definitely roughen her mother up.

Hearing the girl's pained cry, Noctis walked over towards the two twins. As he towered over their prone figures, he raised his sword for the last blow. Perhaps if he killed his so-called children in the past, then the future would be altered entirely.

_"_Play time's over."

He swung his sword downwards, but he was too slow.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the blond-haired girl dash towards them. She dove at the pair and soon as she touched them, they disappeared altogether, vanishing into thin air.

A teleportation skill.

_Clever._

• • •

"U-Ugh…"

Ciel moaned as he slowly sat up. He was in a bed, in a room, in a place he had never been before. Where in the world was he? His mind was fuzzy, and his body twitched sporadically. Maybe he had gotten drunk and ended up in a foreign part of the palace. It wouldn't surprise him if he had. The palace had many secret rooms that had yet to be discovered.

Grogging his way over the door, the pulled it open and expected to be in a hallway, but he found himself in the living room of some strange apartment instead. _Note to self, never mix drinks again._ He made his to couch and spotted his mother sleeping with Serenity in her arms. His mother looked different today for some reason, but he couldn't really put his finger on what it was.

Smiling at the sight, he bent over to kiss his mother on the cheek, when her eyes fluttered open. He was instantly grabbed by the neck and tossed over the couch. Face pressed against the floor, he was taken aback when his mother grasped his arm painfully.

"OW! MOM! STOP! OW! OW!" MOM WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He squealed. "Y-You're going to break my arm!"

"Did you just try to kiss me?" His mother barked angrily, pressing his face further into the cold, tiled floor.

"W-What's wrong, m-mom? You let me kiss you all the time! Well actually I lied… Only when dad's not watching, but still! Mom you're hurting me!"

"Who are you calling mom?" Lightning growled at the young boy's audacity. He looked like he was about her age, yet he was spouting nonsense about her being his mother.

"Okay MOM! I'm sorry I came home drunk! Can you stop pretending that you don't know who I am now?" Ciel whined.

She slammed his head against the floor, "This isn't funny, kid."

Ciel groaned as he saw Orion's constellation shoot stars in front of his eyes. His instincts told him something was _very_ wrong about this setup. He looked around the room for a reason why he was so confused.

And then he spotted it.

The calendar.

_No freaking way. You've got to be kidding me… _That couldn't be the right date, could it?

**19th of Mistleaf, 2425**

_2425?!_

That was exactly a year before Ana was born, and a hundred or so years before he was born. He seriously hoped that the date was wrong and the calendar was pulling his chain because there was no wa… _Shit…_

The book.

The hurricane.

He remembered everything; he recalled the words he had read.

_Oh solemn night, show us what we seek.  
>Inject us into the eyes that last, take us into our grand lineages <strong>past.<strong>_

The damned book had done just that and sent him back in time!

"Wait mom! I can explain, so please stop banging my head against the floor… I-It's very p-painful," Ciel stammered. "I-I swear, this all just a really big complicated situation!" He struggled under his mother's strong grip. "I'M FROM THE FUTURE! I'M YOUR SON FROM THE FUTURE!"

That bold statement must have shocked his mother because he immediately felt her flinch away. She stood and glared down at him like he was a crazed lunatic.

"You're insane," she spat angrily. "There's no way you could have time-traveled. It's impossible! And even if you say you are my son, you're clearly half-demon. There's absolutely no way I would associate with a Demon."

"I can prove that I'm your son!" Ciel waved his mother's arguments aside. He quickly responded before she could knock him over the head again. "You were born Éclair Farron on the 2nd of Goldsun 2404, you have two birthmarks: one under your left breast, and one on your right hip. Your secret pastime is stargazing. You haven't told anyone, but you were partially blind for two of your high school years. You hate the color black. If you ever get married, which you most certainly will, you want to go on honeymoon to Midgard."

Lightning froze. Her eyes widened in absolute shock as every word from the boy's mouth rang home. Everything he had said about her was true, and they were secrets that only she could have possibly known. _Impossible._

As the boy continued talking, she became more and more convinced that he truly was her son from the future.

"A-Alright… I get it," she conceded. The enormity of what she had just taken in made her light-headed, and she quickly slumped onto the couch. She looked to her side at the sleeping black-haired, baby girl. "I-Is she my daughter also?"

Ciel nodded. He was slightly worried about his mother's current state of mind. Everything he had just told her was a lot to take in, and would have driven anyone insane. So far, she was taking it really well. _No nervous, angry breakdowns yet._

"That explains why she kept calling me 'Mama,' and asking me why I hurt you," she replied, tossing her head back against the couch. "W-What's your name?"

"Luciel."

Lightning shook her head lightly, still processing what she had been told, "H-How many more children do I have? I-I mean, do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Walking over toward the couch, Ciel settled into the empty spot next to his silent mother, "Yeah. You'd be really surprised, but so far there are five of us. There's Ana, who's the oldest. She's your typical blond-hair, blue-eyed girl, but she's the most mature out of us all, and she's also engaged—to a douchebag. Then there's Lucien and Lucia, who are twins. Both of them have light blue hair. Lucia is your average, rebellious teen, even though she's over ninety years old, and Lucien, phew-wee, he acts all tough and tries to be like father, but everyone knows he's really a tsundere, who'd do anything for you. Then there's me, Luciel, I'm awesome, I'm your favorite child, you said it yourself, and I am NOT a mama's boy. Lastly, there's Serenity, who is the most spoiled girl in the world, and who is drooling all over your couch."

"I-I have five children?" Lightning gasped. "H-How is that possible?"

"Well, to be honest, it's actually more surprising that there aren't any more of us, with the way you and dad have sex almost every day of the week," Ciel replied, cracking a light smile. "Actually, it's a big family mystery as to why there aren't twenty of us yet."

Hearing those words, Lightning couldn't contain her emotions anymore. If this was really true… Tears of joy spilled down her milky cheeks. For so long now, she had worried endlessly, often losing sleep, over this one thing… and to think she would have five children!

"Mom, are you okay?" Ciel embraced his petite mother thoughtfully.

"I-I'm j-just so happy…" she sobbed, "A-All this time, I was so worried that I would never get married and have children. I honestly believed I was doomed to die alone, rotting away in this small apartment. It wouldn't have been surprising. What man in his right mind would want a woman like me? I can't cook, I can't clean. All I do is work, work, work and chase after crooks. I have no sense of fashion, and I'm not even close to being beau—"

"Mom stop," Ciel wiped his mother's tears away. To think she had harbored such thoughts… It really broke his heart to see his mother like this. "Don't even say that you aren't beautiful. You'd have to be blind to say that. In fact, in the future, you're the hottest model on Pulse, and that's a fact."

"I'm a model in the future?"

Ciel nodded, "I never knew that you were a cop before. You never told me you had been a cop, so I assumed you had always been a model. It wasn't hard to believe, especially with the way you look in a dress. Honestly mom, you wouldn't believe how much attention you get when we go out for family dinners. I swear, dad has almost killed at least half a dozen men just for looking at you the wrong way."

Then came the question he had so desperately tried to avoid.

"Who… is your father?"

_Aaaaaaaand, boom goes the dynamite._

"Uhhhh, you're not dating anyone now, are you?"

"No," his mother replied.

"Well, I can't tell you!"

"Why not?" his mother glared.

"If I told you, the future could be rewritten entirely. If you found out who dad was and decided not to marry him then I wouldn't be born right? So no matter how much you plead or how much you threaten me, I won't say a thing!"

His mother frowned, disappointed, "Can you at least describe him? Is he easy on the eyes?"

Ciel hesitated. What harm could it possibly do to indulge his mother just this once? He nodded and answered the question, "Most women in our time think he's very, very good looking."

"So he's famous or at least, he's well-known AND he's a demon."

_Shit. _Ciel cursed, mentally slapping himself. His mother's ability to perceive things was still as sharp as ever. He couldn't tell her anything else or else he'd really give away his father's identity.

At that moment, before his mother could shoot him another question, Serenity woke up from her long nap. Yawning like a kitten, the black-haired Caelum child opened one lazy eye and extended her arms out towards her mother.

Lightning held her daughter in her arms, but was definitely not expecting what would happen next.

"Mama," Serenity chimed, patting down on her mother's breasts, "Milk."

That one word was enough to send her stoic and uptight mother into a blushing frenzy. In her shock, Lightning almost dropped her daughter, "W-W-W-W-Wh-hat? M-M-M-Milk?" She stuttered. Her face turned several different shades of red. Surely, the little child wasn't asking her to breast feed her? The very thought was absurd!

She looked at her son, but he merely shrugged in response. She frowned. The look on the little girl's face told her that she wasn't going to wait any longer.

"I-I can't!" She cried out.

A sudden knock on the door made her stop everything. Lightning set her daughter on the couch. Alerted, she grabbed her gun and made her way to the door. She never had visitors. These people were enemies. As she pressed her back towards the door, she noticed that her son had done the same. For some reason, the gesture was reassuring.

"On my count," she started. Her son nodded. "One. Two. Three!"

She pulled the door open and was greeted by a trio of youngsters, who spilled into her apartment as if a wave had ushered them inside.

"Ana, Lucia, Lucien!" She heard her son shout out.

Lowering her weapon, she looked at the severely bruised boy and girl pair, and gasped in mortification. They were covered from head to toe with purple and blue welts. The blond haired girl, on the other hand, seemed fine, if not a tad shaky.

"We need to get them to the hospital!" She insisited.

"No, no!" It was the blond haired girl who replied, "M-Mom?" Ana questioned still unsure about everyone's identities. Seeing her mother somewhat nod her head, she sighed with relief. "Lucia and Lucien will be fine. Umm… Mom, I'm not sure how much Ciel has told you, but we're half-demons so we heal quickly. Their injuries should clear up in a few minutes."

Nodding, Lightning helped her blond haired daughter set the two twins onto the couches. As she observed the girl, Ana tend to her younger siblings' wounds, she felt prideful. Even if she didn't exactly know who her children from the future were, she knew that her future-self had raised them well. They were an impressive bunch, and it was hard to believe that they would eventually be hers.

She sighed.

Her blond haired daughter pulled her aside.

"Mom," Ana breathed out slowly. "We need to talk."

• • •

A/N: And I as mentioned above, this was as far as I got before I just couldn't write anymore. I don't know if you guys know about this, but my hard-drive crashed and I lost this story. Rewriting it was a pain, but I just had to do it. I wanted to share this so much. I know it's incomplete, but I just don't know where to go from here. I was initially planning on making Noctis attack Lightning and have the babies protect their mother. Then by some weird reason, make Noctis fall in love with Lightning due to the fact that they have such awesome, powerful babies in the future. But I have a massive writer's block on this story and can't write any more of it. I was really, really going to let this story go once it was deleted, but I just had to share it, for the sake of Lightis babies!

I'm so sorry for the super long wait, and for the disappointing, incomplete chapter. I really don't know what to do anymore. I don't have the time to write anymore. I thought I would have a lot of free time during the summer, but I don't. And now that school is starting, writing will extremely difficult to do. I will try, as I say time and time again, to update whenever I can, but the future doesn't look too bright. The only reason I've managed to survive the hard-drive crash is because I've been encouraged by both readers and writers, who have dished out some seriously good fics lately.

I'm sorry for being totally MIA this summer, but I couldn't help myself. Also the reason why I sort of left this chapter incomplete is because I would like to see how you guys would end it. If you guys give me some good ideas, maybe my muse will return to me! We'll see, won't we? Until next time! Oh yeah, I've re-written the Caitiff, so go check that out.

See you soon! ^o^


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